Fitzroy Community Hospice approved to be built on former convent site

The facility would provide end of life care in a home-like setting and employ 12 staff full-time. FULL DETAILS.

The Fitzroy Community Hospice project has reached an important milestone this week with the tick of approval from council.

The development, which was announced in March, includes 24-hour end of life care services with a 12-bedroom facility, to be redeveloped within the existing Loreto Convent facilities at 38 Agnes Street, The Range.

Holistic support will also be provided for patients, families and carers and it is hoped all services will be free.

The facility would employee 12 people full-time.

It would be the first regional hospice in the state as all eight Queensland hospices are all in the south-east corner.

Documents lodged with Rockhampton Regional Council stated the community hospice would provide home-like care with extended support and allow patients who wished to stay at home with their families to receive quality care and services.

The services are planned to be available to people of all ages with advanced life-limiting conditions, not just those with cancer.

The development will be delivered in two stages with the first stage to include demolition of the existing car park, carport and rear portion of the building and the extension of the building with ground floor, left and right wing.

The right wing will include 12 individual rooms, each with private bathrooms and a balcony, a nurses station, procedure room, office space, a private family room and private and general lounge areas.

The left wing will include the reception, amenities, kitchen and storage room and the existing chapel.

The lower ground level at the rear will accommodate the main entry lobby, elevator and internal staircase, staff office, meeting rooms, amenities, storerooms and a laundry.

Stage two will incorporate an accommodation unit within the existing lower ground level of the building, which will allow families to stay onsite with patients and have a private space to reside and rest.

This unit will have three bedrooms, two private en-suites and a lounge area.

Stage one must commence within six years of the approval date and stage two must commence within 12 years.

The hospice will be built over two stages.

The application did receive some submissions during the public notification period however these were answered sufficiently by the council planning officers.

It is noted the development is inconsistent within the low-density residential zone code however the development has a high level of residential amenity and retains the existing building frontage.

Rockhampton Base Hospital is located 300 metres to the north-east and is considered a major community facility. This development has been measured under the guidelines of a residential care facility.

The development is not expected to increase any noise as it will have appropriate boundary screening and rear car parking and is created to be a quiet and peaceful environment with a focus on discretion and privacy.

Concerns around increased traffic were raised however advice from McMurtrie Consulting Engineering stated while there would be increased guests and staff, the traffic impact would be insignificant and it would contribute to less than five per cent of background traffic on Agnes Street.

The development will have 27 onsite carparks and two delivery bays, and it is estimated there will be no loss of on-street car parking.

There is also an existing pedestrian footpath on the eastern side of Agnes Street, between North Street, addressing increased pedestrian safety.

One submission noted there would be “detrimental psychological impact” however this was debated as the facility is located near the Base and Mater hospitals, which are similar operations.

There would be no hazardous materials on site and no medical procedures would be performed on site. All clinical waste will be packaged, labelled, handled and transported as per requirements.

Plans for the hospice by Tony Madden Architects.

The application received council support, noting the facility would address the need for palliative care facilities within Rockhampton.

In June, more than 800 Central Queenslanders had pledged their support of the project.

“We are encouraged by this decision and the ongoing support we are receiving from the community,” chair of the Fitzroy Community Hospice Dr. Vicki Richmond said.

“This is a very special site, which has for decades been a place of peace and serenity.

“It is exciting that the green light has been given to repurpose it to provide community-based end-of-life care.

“We would like to thank Gideon Town Planning and Tony Madden Architects for their hard work towards this development application.

“Gideon’s expertise and support throughout this process has been invaluable.

“Tony and his team have gone above and beyond to produce architectural concept plans which reflect the special home-like character of a hospice whilst meeting exacting standards”.

The Fitzroy Community Hospice Board is lobbying governments for grant funding and have been engaged in ongoing positive discussions with state and federal governments, as well as Queensland Health and the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service.

“The next important step is to secure critical government grant funding, and we are confident that substantial funds will be allocated soon,” Ms Richmond said.

“As a not-for-profit charitable organisation, community support and fundraising will remain vital to see this important local service become a reality.”

To register your support visit www.fitzroyhospice.org.au.