Macmillan lodge plans for new £3.2M Information & Support Centre at Antrim Area for cancer patients

A planning application has been lodged with Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for a new £3.2m  centre at Antrim Hospital to support cancer patients and their families.

The proposed Macmillan charity facility is to be located adjacent to Fern House in partnership with applicant Northern Health and Social Care Trust.

Trust board members were told at a recent meeting that the charity will be contributing £2.5m to the information and support centre project with the remainder to be funded by the Northern Trust.

Members heard that the proposed standalone two-storey building will include a lounge and information hub, two therapy rooms, two quiet rooms, a family room and group room.

The Trust board was advised that construction work is expected to commence on site in autumn 2025, further to planning approval from Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council with the facility expected to be operational by the end of 2026. The site is an area of woodland at present.

A design and access statement submitted with the application says:

“The landscape proposal has been discussed with a group of stakeholders and patients who attended the arranged design meetings.”

Proposed outdoor spaces include a walled garden, lower courtyard and terrace.

It notes: “The walled garden will provide a welcoming and private shelter forpatients and families seeking support after treatment. The space is organised in a way that allows family gatherings in one corner, give a sense of escapism and seclusion and enclosed little chamber for reflection.

“A space dedicated to Teenage Cancer Trust is offered in the walled garden for young adults to enjoy their own space. Plants for the walled garden were chosen to engage all senses with interesting textures in their flowers, leaves, bark and twigs that would offer a complete spectrum of colours with the added delight of changes throughout the different seasons.

“A U-shape seating arrangement is proposed to provide a welcoming space for big group of teenagers / young adults’ visitors. It can be a place to gather, to talk and to reconnect.

“The design of the proposed set of furniture has been chosen to accommodate different types of patients. Providing different seating heights with or without arm and back rests will satisfy different users with considering a lateral place for wheelchairs users.

“The lower courtyard is offering an extension to the interior spaces and aplace to look at from the conference hall and the corridor.

“Street furniture is to be appropriately located and their materials and design well considered.. Street furniture will provide opportunities for occupants of the site to rest and gather socially within the allocated amenity areas.

“The variety of tree species have been selected to provide variety in form, seasonal interest and contribute to the biodiversity of the site. The ornamental planting has been selected to attract pollinators and wildlife, as well as creating an attractive landscape all year round with seasonal highlights.”

Site location plan at Antrim Area Hospital

Correspondence from the council’s environmental health section says:

“Historical maps indicate that the proposed development site is in close proximity to ground previously used as a mill.

“Given the potential risk of land contamination resulting from this historic land use and the potential for migration of contaminants, it is requested that a preliminary risk assessment is provided to identify potential land contamination issues for the application site.”

Presenting the business case at the Trust meeting, Paddy Graffin, the Northern Trust’s divisional director of infrastructure, said it would be a “holistic health and well-being centre” which would be “accessible to the community”.

“The Trust has been working with Macmillan during the feasibility stage. The preferred option is to develop a new building for an information and support centre, a new standalone building,” he explained.

The Northern Trust is currently the only Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland without a dedicated support centre at its main acute hospital site.

Macmillan spokesperson Gordon McLean said previously:

“As the number of people with cancer grows, it’s important that everyone has access to services that meet their individual needs. Working in partnership with the Northern Trust, we can improve cancer care together and ensure that more people get the support they need.”