Plans for new family support centre at Lancaster hospice could be blocked by city council

Plans for a new family support centre at St John's Hospice could be thwarted after council officers said the loss of the building it would replace was 'not justified'.
St John's Hospice.St John's Hospice.
St John's Hospice.

The Slyne Road hospice has submitted plans to Lancaster City Council for a 19th century lodge on its site to be demolished to make way for the new centre.

But council officers say Slynedales Lodge is a non-designated heritage asset.

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It is the former gate lodge to Slynedales, which is the former 1890s country house to the west of the hospice that has been occupied by CancerCare since 1990.

The lodge was acquired by the hospice in 2008 and converted for use as administration offices.

The hospice hopes to redevelop the site which houses the lodge as a purpose-built centre to provide therapeutic support and counselling for children and young people aged four to 16 and their families who have lost parents, siblings and close relatives.

The basis for the application follows research undertaken last year with Lancaster University which highlighted gaps in local service provision regarding whole family support, pre and post bereavement.

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It is hoped the new two-storey centre would be completed during 2021 to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the hospice.

Almost 30 members of the public, as well as Lancaster MP Cat Smith, have written in support of the plans.

Many felt it was a much-needed community facility which would enable the hospice to continue to support the local community and contribute towards the locality’s wellbeing.

It would also reduce the need to rely on services further away.

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It was felt by some that the heritage value of the lodge should be seen as less important than the service to be provided by the proposed building.

Lancaster Civic Society made no objection to the proposal in principle but raised concerns with respect to the external appearance of the proposed building and the lack of features.

Slyne-with-Hest Parish Council supports the application on the basis that the scheme offers a needed service in the correct location, but remains ‘disappointed’ with respect to the architectural design.

Council officers recommended in their report to next Monday's planning committee that planning permission be refused.

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They said: "Clearly the proposed family support centre would represent a valuable asset in terms of the delivery of much needed pre and post bereavement care, and it would appear to resolve a gap in service provision across the district.

"These are matters that weigh positively in terms of the planning balance. However, the principle and design of the development is considered to be unacceptable and is not in compliance with relevant development plan policies or the National Planning Policy Framework.

"The application seeks planning permission to demolish a non-designated heritage asset and to replace it with a family bereavement centre.

"Whilst the basic principle of a community use is acceptable and is compliant...the loss of the non-designated heritage asset is not justified.

"Officers are unable to conclude that there are material overriding public benefits to warrant the loss of the non-designated heritage asset."