Hospice Havens planning hearing October 17th

October 3, 2012

Southend Borough Council’s Development Control Committee will hear the renewed planning application on Wednesday 17^th October 2012 at 2.00pm in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre. This has been a contentious issue in Leigh and the outcome will possibly both please and anger pro and anti campaigners in equal amounts.

In an attempt to provide information yet maintaining an unbiased position, leigh-on-sea.com outline below what has been happening:

In December 2011, Havens Hospices withdrew plans to build a new adult hospice off Belton Way in Leigh. Since then, the charity has worked closely alongside planning officers at Southend, Rochford and Castle Point Councils and resubmitted a planning application in July this year.

Havens Hospices Chief Executive, Andy Smith said, "Right now we simply do not have the space or the facilities to care for everyone who needs us.  Our plans to build a new Fair Havens hospice have only ever been driven by the needs of local people and their families. The limitations of our current building make it increasingly difficult to meet their needs. 

“To ensure good hospice care is available in the future, local people need a modern, purpose built hospice capable of offering the facilities and services available elsewhere in the UK and in our neighbouring towns. 

“Our decision to resubmit our planning application has been made after months of careful reflection and review of our plans.  After many meetings with Southend, Rochford and Castle Point Councils we have considered all available sites in the area.  However surprising it may seem, all three Councils have concluded that there are no brownfield sites in the area suitable for a new hospice and, as agreed with them, we have gone on to review greenfield sites. Having done so, the site off Belton Way in Leigh uniquely meets our patients needs, and on that basis, we feel we have to resubmit our planning application.”

Havens Hospices believe they have answered the commonly asked questions outlined below:

What have you been doing since you withdrew plans in December?

This is the largest project we have ever undertaken and it isn't a simple process.

We have reviewed every aspect of our plans and how they compare with other purpose built hospice services throughout the country.

We’ve been working closely with Southend, Rochford and Castle Point Councils, in particular, the Planning Officers of Southend Borough Council, to consider all existing and newly available brownfield sites in the area. We have also reviewed our original site selection criteria to ensure all the sites were equally and fairly assessed.

All three local councils have concluded that there are no brownfield sites in the area suitable for a new hospice. As agreed with them, we went on to review greenfield sites.

Why are you resubmitting plans for the site off Belton Way when it has caused so much anger in the local community?

Our plans for a new Fair Havens have only ever been driven by the needs of local people. In the same way we have only ever wanted to find a site that will enable us to best meet their needs, with facilities and services comparable with those available throughout the UK and in our neighbouring towns. Our search for a site has been both extensive and exhaustive and Belton Way uniquely provides the best opportunities for us to meet the needs of local people who require hospice care, now and in the years to come.

We understand that not everyone will feel able to support our plans and we don't mean to cause any upset. At the same time, 17,000 people declared their support for our proposals by signing our petition last yearWhy can't you just stay where you are?

The limitations of our current building make it increasingly difficult to meet the needs of our patients and their families. We believe this is unacceptable. We have no scope for further development where we are. We must therefore plan for the future on a new site

There must be somewhere else, you can't have looked at all sites?

Working alongside Planning Officers at Southend Borough Council we have reviewed 40 previously considered and newly available brownfield sites, none of which is suitable or available for a new hospice. As agreed with them, we then evaluated greenfield sites using the same criteria. The site off Belton Way uniquely provides the best opportunities for us to meet the needs of local people who require hospice care, now and in the years to come.

Why can't you just build the hospice at Little Havens?

This was an option we looked at in considerable detail, but it would mean compromising on what our patients and their families need.

Will building the hospice on Green Belt land be the ‘thin end of the wedge’ and lead to further development on that land?

We are satisfied and assured that the planning process does not operate in this way due to the very tight controls governing development of the Green Belt.

Are you going for the site off Belton Way because it's cheap?

None of the brownfield sites were ruled out on the grounds of cost; they were either unsuited to hospice care or unavailable. The site off Belton Way uniquely provides the best opportunities for us to meet the needs of local people who require hospice care, now and in the years to come.

How much money have you spent/wasted?

Building a new Fair Havens is an investment of time and money to meet the future needs of generations of local people for specialist hospice care. It is a big project.

So far, we have spent around £450,000. We appreciate this is large sum of money, but it is in keeping with the costs of other projects of a similar size and scale.

We received a sizeable legacy to support the planning of a new hospice, and spending on the project comes from legacy funds set aside specifically for this purpose, in order not to compromise the funding of our existing services.

If Southend Council rejects your plans to build the hospice in Leigh, what will happen next?

Our hope, having worked closely with the Planning Officers at Southend Borough Council, is that the local councillors will consider our application on the merits of our case and the need to continue caring for local people with life-limiting illnesses.

We are totally committed to caring for local people and in continuing to offer them complex symptom control, respite and end of life care as and when they need it, now and in the future.

Because the site off Belton Way offers the best opportunity for us to do this, we are prepared to take our planning application to appeal, if necessary.

If you want to follow what's happen, support their appeal or take objection to it, please go direct to their website: havenshospices.org.uk  or contact the project leader direct on: snayler@havenshospices.org.uk