Plans that include a stunning new hydrotherapy pool, a wellbeing and therapies suite and a bigger care activity area have been submitted by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) as part of proposals to expand The Treehouse, in Ipswich.
The major upgrade also includes a new soft-play room and a larger kitchen and dining area, to grow catering capacity for families.
EACH Chief Executive Kevin Clements said: “We’ve been proudly delivering first-class care and support in Ipswich since 1999, and, in 2011, with the support of the local community, we were extremely proud to begin delivering care at our brand-new purpose-built hospice, The Treehouse.
“Following 14 more years of delivering vital care and support to hundreds of children and families, we now have the ambition to develop and expand it to further increase our offer and reach more families in Suffolk and North Essex.
“It’s vital we plan to futureproof the site, to meet the growing demand for our service, and to align with the government’s and public’s ambition to deliver and receive more care outside the hospital setting.
“If our planning permission application is successful, it will enable the continued development of our care strategy against the backdrop of population growth and increased life-expectancy.”
With the continued support of the community, EACH has been able to initially designate reserves for the development and sustainability of the site, but will need to raise additional funds to complete their vision for local children and families.
Kevin added: “We expect the planning permission process to take around ten months to complete, during which time our financial forecasting, including for the years ahead, will determine how much we will need to raise through a capital fundraising campaign.“
The new hydrotherapy pool and suite – which would be far bigger than the current facility – will bring The Treehouse in line with EACH’s other two hospices, in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
The proposed expansion also includes underfloor storage and more car parking spaces, while the new wellbeing and therapies suite will feature a private entrance for families.
Ipswich-based architects Barefoot & Gilles, who designed the original plans for The Treehouse, are managing the planning proposal and can be contacted on design@barefootgilles.com or 01473 257474.
