£5m hospice gets go-head (From This Is Lancashire)

£5m hospice gets go-head

6:00am Thursday 18th March 2010 in

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BURY Hospice has been given the green light to build a new £5 million centre to care for terminally-ill patients.

A planning application submitted to Bury Council was approved on Monday.

The decision was made under delegated powers after the planning department received no letters of objection.

It is now full steam ahead for a new state-of-the-art hospice to be built on the site of the former St Bede’s Church, in Rochdale Old Road, Bury.

Building work could begin as early as next month and it is hoped the first patients will be treated there before the end of 2011.

Elizabeth Houghton, the hospice’s chief executive, said: “It is fantastic news that the planning application has been approved.

“We would like to thank the hundreds of people who wrote in and supported our proposal.

“We are grateful for the co-operation of Bury Council’s planning department and the local councillors whose support and guidance has helped to bring the move to the new hospice another step closer.”

The new building will allow the hospice to move from its current site in Dumers Lane, Radcliffe, which is now too small for its needs.

It will expand from five to 10 in-patient beds and improve its services to care for people with a range of illnesses.

Each room will have ensuite facilities and access to its own terraced garden.

There will also be visitor accommodation, purpose-built therapy and consultation rooms, catering facilities, and training rooms.

Mrs Houghton: “We will now meet with our trustees and professional advisers to discuss the details and plan the way forward.

“We hope to be in a position to launch a capital fundraising appeal to raise the additional £2.5 million needed to build, open and equip the new hospice in the next couple of months.”