The two-storey extension to the Hewitt Centre will transform Liverpool Women's hospital into one of Europe's biggest IVF centres.

The centre already has the biggest IVF unit in the country.

The 1,400 sq ft centre will include a sperm bank, egg freezing facility, modern embryology laboratory and dedicated recovery services.

The expansion will enable experts to treat more than 2,000 NHS and Private couples desperate to have children.

Gilling Dod is the architect, whilst Alan Johnson Partnership and Hulley & Kirkwood will give structual and building services consultancy respectively.

Work on the site will start this month and is likely to be completed by March 2009.