The site where the new hospice will be built. Photo / Cranford Hospice
Plans to build a new hospice have been in the pipeline for about a decade.
A new facility was initially set to be built between Napier and Hastings, at Chesterhope.
However, that site was badly flooded in Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, and a search began for another appropriate site.
A 1.1-hectare property was found in 2025 on the edge of Hastings, close to Havelock North, at 238 Havelock Rd.
The site was formerly a market garden and is mostly covered in grass, boasting views of Te Mata Peak.
Cranford Hospice Foundation chairman Chris Tremain said gaining resource consent was “a key step forward in making this project a reality”.
An updated concept plan for the new hospice. Photo / Cranford Hospice
“There were many factors that needed to be worked through to build a hospice on this piece of land, and this resource consent will allow Cranford Hospice to become unconditional on the contract for this property.”
The new facility will feature inpatient unit rooms with ensuite bathrooms and garden access, spaces for whānau and staff, administrative and clinical areas, and plenty of landscaping.
The foundation will finalise the design before obtaining a building consent, and go through a tender process for the build.
Construction is anticipated to get underway in the first quarter of 2027.
The existing Cranford Hospice on Knight St will be sold once the new home is completed, with sale proceeds going toward the project.
The estimated $25.5 million project cost includes the combined cost of the new property, buildings and professional fees.