Children's Hospice Southwest, Cornwall

LATEST NEWS......Little harbour given the green light

Children’s Hospice South West is delighted to confirm that planning permission has been granted for a children’s hospice in Cornwall.

The planning application was referred to the Government Office for the South West by Restormel Borough Council after Restormel’s Planning Committee gave it their seal of approval on Friday 13th February. The application was referred as the site for the hospice – on Porthpean Road, just outside St Austell – is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Government Office quickly backed Restormel’s decision enabling the decision notice to be issued.

Children’s Hospice South West is delighted to reveal the long awaited plans for its third hospice!

Since September 2007 the charity has been raising funds through the Precious Lives Appeal to bring its special service closer to home for families in Plymouth and Cornwall by the building of a new children’s hospice near to St Austell. With the plans for this much needed 8 bedded hospice now deposited with Restormel Borough Council, and the appeal total now in excess of a staggering £1.6million, Children’s Hospice South West is thrilled to share the plans with the public.

Little Harbour - Childrens Hospice Southwest

Supporters pondering the plans will see a slate roof, Cornish stone walls, and a tower reminiscent of the many lighthouses surrounding the Plymouth and Cornish coastline, and designed to reinforce the hospice’s Cornwall and Plymouth connections. They will also discover the special children’s bedrooms, accommodation for parents and siblings, a wide range of play and therapy facilities – including a messy play area, a Jacuzzi, and a multi-sensory room – and a homely family kitchen and living room which are all designed to help create a comfortable and wonderfully caring community.

Excitingly the plans have brought the new children’s hospice – to be built on Porthpean Road, St Austell – to life so much that it has already been named!

Eddie Farwell, Chief Executive and Co-founder of Children’s Hospice South West reveals:
“The location for the new hospice has given us our inspiration and we have taken the name from one of the translations of Porthpean. We have chosen to call our special third hospice Little Harbour, which is wonderfully apt for such a homely and caring place.”

Like its name, Little Harbour will be a special place where life-limited children from Plymouth and Cornwall will be cared for and protected. As with Children’s Hospice South West’s two other hospices – Little Bridge House in North Devon and Charlton Farm in Somerset – Little Harbour will provide:

  • renowned world class hospice care
  • a multidisciplinary care team
  • one to one specialist care with dedicated contact workers
  • respite, emergency and terminal care
  • sibling support, for well brothers and sisters
  • bereavement support, for as long as the family need it

All these facilities will be provided in a home from home and safe environment.

Childrens Hospice Southwest - Little Harbour

The design of the new buildings reflects Cornwall’s position as a national leader in green technology and low carbon building. Structures will be super-insulated and tested for air-tightness to minimise heat loss and gain, with air source heat pumps and solar panelling providing heating through under floor pipe work. There will be no reliance on oil or gas and rainwater will be recycled wherever possible. Outside the buildings, the natural form of the land will be used to create micro-climates and unique gardens specific to the well-being of the children, utilising plant species established in the locality.

Eddie Farwell is delighted with the proposals:
“A lot of thought has been put into the plans and we are exceptionally pleased with them. I am particularly excited by the feature of a tower offering panoramic views out to sea and across the Clay Country, which will provide a wonderful space for children and families to reflect or just enjoy soaking up the picturesque surroundings. The tower will be a beacon of light and hope as well as a beautifully distinguishing feature of Little Harbour.”

It is anticipated that a decision regarding planning permission will be made by Spring 2009 with the plan that contractors will be on board from Autumn 2009, with building work commencing in Spring 2010.

Eddie reflects:
“We are one step closer to achieving our dream of building a much needed children’s hospice in Cornwall but there is still a long way to go before we can welcome children and families through the doors of Little Harbour. We have been overwhelmed by the vast numbers of people in Cornwall and Plymouth who have taken our special appeal to their hearts, and it is their continued support that will help us to turn the dream of Little Harbour into a reality.”

For further information about the Precious Lives Appeal to build Little Harbour, and to find out more about the different ways in which you can help please visit www.chsw.org.uk or contact the Children’s Hospice South West Truro office on: 01872 261166.