Hospice charity submits plans for care facility

St Elizabeth Hospice has submitted plans for an end-of-life care facility in Gorleston

A hospice charity has submitted plans to develop an end-of-life care facility in a coastal town 18 years after fundraising began.

Yare Hospice Care launched in 2007, changing its name to East Coast Hospice two years later. In 2023 the charity merged with St Elizabeth Hospice, based in Ipswich.

The charity says it wants to build a community hospice with 16 beds on its site at Sidegate Lane in Gorleston near Great Yarmouth.

Judi Newman, chief executive of St Elizabeth Hospice, said: "We are delighted to submit this planning application and share our full plans with the wider community."

East Coast Hospice, as an independent charity, had won planning permission for a hospice in a different design and layout

Plans to build a hospice between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth have stalled for almost two decades as rival charities competed over plans, sites and funding.

The community was split over supporting the James Paget University Hospital wanting to build a hospice at the Louise Hamilton Cancer Centre, within its site or the independent East Coast Hospice, which had land and won planning consent for a 10-bed unit.

After the NHS withdrew its plans, East Coast Hospice merged with St Elizabeth which immediately conducted a feasibility study which found a hospice was needed to help patients in Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

It said the previous plans were not suitable to the needs identified in its report, and it appointed Norwich-based LSI Architects.

The proposed unit would feature 16 inpatient beds, an outpatient and community hub for day care and therapies as well as a community café.

Roberta Lovick, ambassador for the Louise Hamilton Trust, said: "The strength of our partnership will help us achieve our vision of bringing greater parity to end-of-life care in Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

"When my daughter Louise died in 1998, I vowed to dedicate my life to improving end-of-life care in this community and across the country, and this project, alongside St Elizabeth Hospice, is a significant step toward that goal.

"This is something we know the community wants and needs. This community hospice building will make a drastic difference to so many people, improving local end-of-life care, giving people more options and support during their precious remaining time with loved ones."

Judi Newman, chief executive of St Elizabeth Hospice, thanked local people for working for many years towards building an end-of-life facility on the east coast

Ms Newman added: "We are delighted to submit this planning application and share our full plans with the wider community.

"With the invaluable support of Roberta Lovick and the Louise Hamilton Trust, we are in a strong position to develop the community hospice sustainably in a single phase."

Ed Garratt, chief executive at Norfolk and Waveney ICB (N&W ICB), said: "This is a hugely welcome development, which aligns with our ambitions to enhance palliative and end-of-life care in our region.

"I wholeheartedly support this shared commitment from the voluntary sector, NHS and community in working together to improve services for the local population."