Liverpool council planning officers recommend approval for £3.5m new home for Zoe’s Place baby hospice with councillors set to consider the proposal this week. Tony McDonough reports
Image of proposed new Zoe’s Place baby hospice in Liverpool
Councillors in Liverpool are likely to give the go-ahead this week for the construction of a new home for the Zoe’s Place baby hospice.
In March the hospice, which is currently based in Yew Tree Lane in West Derby, launched a £3.5m appeal to build a new hospice at the site of a former bowling club in Hayman’s Green in West Derby. So far the appeal has raised £1.2m.
Zoe’s Place cares for babies and young children with life-limiting, life-threatening or complex conditions. However, its current lease is up in 2025 and this new-build facility is necessary if its work is to continue.
Designed by Mersey Design Group, the plans would incorporate an existing building as well as a new-build extension. It is located close to the Casbah Coffee Club made famous by The Beatles in the 1960s.
This central hospice space will include four bedrooms for up to eight children. There will also be a hydrotherapy pool, sensory and soft play spaces, family residential facilities, two bereavement suites, accessible bathrooms and outdoor spaces
The hospice will also include specialist rooms for families to access holistic therapies and counselling.
Speaking in March, Michael Cunningham, Zoe’s Place trustee and former architect at Mersey Design Group, said: “I’m determined to see these plans brought to fruition.
“Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed the impact of designing spaces that not only serve the practical needs of a building but also embrace the spirit of those within and the work that they’re doing.”
Councillors on Liverpool’s planning committee will consider the plans at a meeting on Tuesday (September 17). Planning officers are recommending approval.
Image of proposed new Zoe’s Place baby hospice in Liverpool
Zoe’s Place cares for babies and young children with life-limiting, life-threatening or complex conditions
In the report they said: “The development site also lies within the West Derby Village Conservation Area and is subject to Policy HD1 of the Local Plan.
“As the development site has its own, well defined, curtilage, it is not highly visible from public vantage points and, as the development would be low rise, its impact on the surrounding townscape would be minimal.
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The surrounding architectural environment is also diverse with a mix of mid-19th and mid to late 20th century dwellings. In this respect the harm to the character of the area, including the Conservation Area is considered to be less than substantial.”
Click here for details on the appeal and click here to view the planning application in full.
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