St. Luke's Hospice at Nethermayne has confirmed that land being provided at no cost for its vital expansion and improvement will safeguard its future in Basildon.

The land will be made available as a result of the proposed redevelopment of the current site of South Essex College of Further and Higher Education and adjoining Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) land.

An outline planning application, recently submitted by the HCA and South Essex College for the site at Nethermayne, will provide approximately two acres of land to St. Luke’s Hospice. The land provision is being funded by the redevelopment of the site for up to 725 much-needed high-quality family homes and other uses including green spaces, a new primary school and a small number of local shops.

St. Luke's, which is in its twenty third year at Nethermayne, is a registered charity serving Basildon and Thurrock Local Authority districts. It provides specialist care and over twenty five services to meet the needs of cancer patients, those with advanced stages of a range of degenerative illnesses and their carers and families.

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Eileen Marshall, CEO for St. Luke's Hospice explained: "The Hospice is in negotiations to secure our position at Nethermayne. Our existing accommodation is very cramped and is now severely hindering service delivery and expansion. Without an opportunity to expand to support our services, our position would become untenable. We therefore see these discussions as essential to safeguarding our position in Basildon."

The proposed development of the Nethermayne site will deliver new homes on less than 50% of the total site area. In addition to land being provided for the expansion of St. Luke’s Hospice, the plans also include the retention of approximately 37% of land for green space, a new primary school, a small number of local shops plus new improved roads and junctions, which will form part of the S106 Agreement with the planning authority. The new homes will also fund the construction of the proposed new Basildon Campus for South Essex College which will be relocated to the town centre to provide 21st century learning facilities, a wider range of courses and access to education for a greater number of people in Basildon.

The planning application is being considered in February 2013 and if approved by Basildon Borough Council, it is anticipated that the land will be transferred to St. Luke's Hospice following the relocation of the College to its new town centre location in 2016.

(CD/GK)