HOSPICE bosses have spoken of their delight and fundraising efforts for a new multimillion pound centre.

Southend Council’s development committee unanimously approved the new £15.4million Fair Havens Hospice opposite Priory Park, Southend on Wednesday August 1.

Supporters will now work to ensure they reach the £2.5million of fundraising still needed with £100,000 raised so far.

Andy Smith, Chief Executive at Havens Hospices said: “We are all very pleased that our final plans for a new Fair Havens have been unanimously approved by Southend Council. This news means that we are now able to start building a larger, modern hospice in Southend that can care for twice as many patients, offer more treatments and support more families.

“We will be starting work in autumn and are celebrating this news with a free Family Fun Festival on Sunday 9th September in Priory Park which is situated opposite the site of the new Fair Havens Hospice.

“Thank you to all of our supporters over the last 35 years, Havens Hospices would not be able to exist without your kindness and generosity. Thank you also to everyone who has already started fundraising for the new hospice, every donation secures the future of adult hospice care - in the coming weeks we will be sharing how much has been raised by the local community so far.

“We hope our friends and neighbours can join us at the festival to celebrate ‘the next step’ for adult hospice care across Southend, Rochford and Castle

Point.”

The proposed development will be a part single storey and part two-storey building, made up of a 16-bedroom hospice.

It will also include a day care centre and treatment facilities.

The in-patient wing will have 16 en-suite bedrooms within the single storey western side of the building.

Each room will have access to a small private outside space.

The eastern wing, which is the two-storey part of the development, will house most of the out-patient facilities.

These state-of-the-art facilities will include therapy rooms and a gym.

The plans include a lounge and a craft workshop.

There will also be a salon and beauty room indoors.

There will also be a landscaped communal garden for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Planning officers told the committee that following a public consultation they had not received a single objection to the proposals.