Cost of North Zealand hospital doubles to $1.5 billion in construction delays

The construction of New North Zealand Hospital will now cost 11.3 billion Danish kroner ($1.5 billion), nearly double the original budget, Danish broadcaster DR reports.

The hospital in Hillerød, designed to replace existing facilities in Hillerød, Helsingør, and Frederikssund, was initially set to open in 2020 at a cost of 5.5 billion kroner. The latest delay pushes completion to 2026, with the final price tag more than twice the original estimate.

Lars Gaardhøj, chair of the Capital Region of Denmark, cited stricter fire safety requirements, rising construction costs, and overly ambitious architectural designs as key factors behind the ballooning expenses. “This is an extremely frustrating situation,” he said, acknowledging shared responsibility between politicians and the region’s property management division.

Health economist Jakob Kjellberg of the Danish National Centre for Social Research (VIVE) called the project “an economic scandal,” arguing that unrealistic design choices—including the hospital’s four-leaf clover layout—were flawed from the outset.

The additional costs will be covered by a long-term loan, repayable within the region’s existing budget. Officials stressed that the overrun will not affect ongoing discussions about a potential merger with the Zealand Region.