Lancaster City Council has approved plans for a new family support centre at St John's Hospice. The decision was made at a meeting of the council’s Planning Regulatory Committee on Monday (February 1).
Committee members heard that the proposed support centre will be a two-storey building clad in timber with a flat roof, first floor terrace and balcony.
Two enclosed gardens with associated planting and landscaping were also proposed as part of the scheme, which will provide therapeutic support and counselling for children and young people aged 4 to 16 and their families who have lost parents, siblings and close relatives.
Council planning officers described the proposed centre as being a valuable facility in terms of the delivery of much-needed pre and post bereavement care. But officers were of the view that alternative locations within the site would have been more suitable for the new building, and that the proposals involved the demolition of a 19th century lodge building on the site, and hence the application had been recommended for refusal.
Councillors had regard to the problems that were identified, but they found in favour of approving the plans in a 13 to 2 vote.
Councillor Sandra Thornberry, chair of the planning committee, said: “The benefit of a bereavement centre and the benefits to the local community that it would bring were never in doubt.
“The discussion was mainly about whether this outweighed the heritage loss due to the demolition of the lodge.
“Our planning officers have a duty to follow the policies and advise us accordingly, which they quite rightly did in this case.
“However, as a committee, we are able to take a different view and believe that the benefits of having a much-needed community facility, which will allow the hospice to expand its level of care, outweigh the potential harm.”
Praise for Lancaster and Morecambe youngsters who took part in 'tongue movement' project
Clinic where students offer free legal advice to reopen at Lancaster University
Lines reopen after train derailment on Scotland-London line
Police arrest two and seize illegal bike in Morecambe
ITV commissions sixth series of Morecambe crime drama The Bay
E-bike shop moves from Lancaster to new Carnforth showroom
Lancaster workshop to tackle the issue of drink and needle spiking
Morecambe raw feeds shop up for three 'Animal Star' awards
Two new festivals proposed for Morecambe entertainment venue the Platform
Second day of disruption as work continues after train derails in Cumbria
Morecambe lifeboat crew’s swift response rescues swimmer ‘being swept dangerously out to sea’
'Street Meets' announced to answer your questions amid new wheelie bin roll-out
Campaign group welcomes new "life changing" bus service to Morecambe
Lancaster prison worker jailed for drug offences
Major disruption as train derails on West Coast Main Line
Talks begin for events to mark Eric Morecambe's 100th birthday
Lancaster music venue due to shut will now stay open "well into 2026"
Halloween What's On Guide
LISTEN: Launch of new group in Morecambe to help with gambling addiction
LISTEN: New centre for people with disabilities to open in historic Lancaster location
