An Ipswich-based building contractor has joined an ‘East Anglian alliance’ appointed to build a new St Elizabeth Hospice facility in Norfolk.
Barnes Construction will help the charity to deliver the new hospice on a seven-acre site off Sidegate Road in Gorleston, should plans get the green light from Great Yarmouth Borough Council.
The 450sqm facility would include space for 16 patients and would be supported by an outpatient and community hub, providing additional palliative care services for the Waveney area.
The plans, submitted in June, were supported by Norwich-based LSI Architects, alongside Ipswich construction consultants Castons and Norfolk consulting engineers Create.
Mark Hart, Joint Managing Director of Barnes Construction, said: “Along with our fellow project team members, LSI Architects, Castons and Create, we are thrilled to be supporting St Elizabeth Hospice in delivering this new facility; an important milestone in the hospice’s development.
“The hospice holds a special place in Barnes Construction’s heart, as since our business was started in 1978 by David and Mary Barnes, we have had a very close involvement with the charity and the important work it does delivering specialist care in the community.”
Other features of the hospice would include a community cafe, alongside a 97-space car park. The site was formerly owned by East Coast Hospice, with whom St Elizabeth Hospice merged in 2023.
The hospice would also partner with the Louise Hamilton Trust as part of a united approach to deliver high-quality end-of-life services to the local community.
Judi Newman, CEO of St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Barnes Construction to the project team delivering this much-needed hospice for the local community.
“Their expertise in building modern, high-quality hospices, that make a real difference, will be invaluable in helping us achieve our ambition of growing palliative care services in Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
“With LSI Architects, Castons and Create already part of the project, this is a real East Anglian-led alliance who will support St Elizabeth Hospice and our local partners to create a hospice that improves access to palliative and end-of-life care in Great Yarmouth & Waveney.”
Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s planning portal shows its committee has until September 2 to make a decision on the plans, with a two-year construction phase hoped to begin in 2026.