Plans for new cancer centre are approved
A CANCER centre which will provide practical and emotional support to patients and their families has been given planning permission.
A Maggie’s Centre, which already has a £3m facility in Swansea, will be built on the current Velindre Cancer Centre site in Whitchurch, Cardiff.
The plans were given approval by Cardiff council last week and the building set to be completed by autumn 2018.
It will support people in South East Wales temporarily, with a permanent solution due as part of the multimillion-pound Velindre development, expected to open in 2022.
In June, Health Secretary Vaughan Gething announced funding of £850,000 would be available to build the temporary Maggie’s.
Sarah Beard, business development director at Maggie’s said: “Maggie’s has been working with Velindre for a number of years to plan the establishment of a centre which will serve the whole population of South East Wales.
“We are already operational at 21 major cancer centres across the UK and abroad. This is going to be a fantastic addition.”
Maggie’s Centres are independent but work in partnership with the NHS across the UK and are often based on hospital grounds.
The Cardiff centre will be designed by Dow Jones Architects and promises to provide a “comfortable and calm space which will lift people’s spirits”.
It will be staffed by a professional team and offer drop-in cancer support, stress management, nutritional workshops, benefits advice and relaxation.
Steve Ham, chief executive of Velindre NHS Trust said: “We’re delighted at the prospect of Maggie’s joining us here at Velindre Cancer Centre to offer our patients easy access to these additional support services.”
The plans have faced objections, with some residents claiming it would reduce green space, increase congestion and “destroy the character of Whitchurch”.
There were also fears that the 12 parking spaces planned for the singlestorey building are not sufficient.
But planning officers said the site is 65 metres from the nearest home on Velindre Road and “is not considered to have a detrimental impact upon the private amenity of the neighbouring residents”.