Manchester Evening News

Plans revealed for new £20m hospice

- By NICK STATHAM Local Democracy Service

ST Ann’s Hospice plans to build a £20m new facility on land next to its site in Heald Green.

Once built, the current hospice would be demolished to make way for 40 new homes – with the new residentia­l developmen­t part-funding the project, The hospice celebrates its 50th anniversar­y next year, having been built in 1971 as an extension to the Victorian era St Ann’s Hospital, which became part of Cheadle Royal in 1887.

Paul Jarvis, director of business developmen­t at St Ann’s, said the fact people were living longer and with more complex conditions meant a new facility was crucial.

He said: “The building was never designed as a purpose-built hospice, we are one of the oldest in the country. The current building is just not fit for the future. The delivery of healthcare – and specifical­ly end-oflife and palliative care – has changed so much over recent years that a 50-year-old building just doesn’t work. If we were to leave it any longer we would struggle to operate from our current building in five to ten years’ time.”

The new hospice will be built on a two-acre plot to the east of St Ann’s Road North – around twice the size of the current site, which it borders.

It will consist of two buildings – a 27-bed inpatients unit and a centre offering day therapy and outpatient­s services, as well as patient and family bereavemen­t support.

The second building would also boast offices, training facilities and ‘ancillary space.’

Provided planning permission is granted, the new residentia­l developmen­t will feature up to 40 homes, likely to be made up of one and twobedroom apartments as well as semi-detached houses. A screening applicatio­n to establish the need for an environmen­tal impact assessment has been submitted to Stockport council, with a full planning applicatio­n to be submitted shortly.

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PIC: STEVE LAYCOCK The blaze at the warehouse

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