The funding is the first tranche of £50m expected to complete the detailed design and planning of the £2bn plus hospital which is not due to begin construction until 2035-38 under the Government's revised New Hospital Programme.

Chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare, Professor Tim Orchard, said: ‘At the same time as progressing design and planning we will be stepping up work with partners to develop options for reducing the amount of New Hospital Programme funding required for construction, aiming to be able to bring forward the start date. This will include setting up a taskforce with Westminster City Council and MPs representing Westminster wards focused on identifying additional funding options for St Mary's.'

Prof Orchard said the trust will also be helping to expand Imperial College London and Hammersmith and Fulham Council's Upstream London industrial strategy by curating the benefits of life science developments at all its hospitals – St Mary's, Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea and the Western Eye.

The first phase of work at St Mary's is intended to conclude with planning consent for a new hospital within a redeveloped life sciences campus in 2027/28.