People consulted on hospice move

The hospice opened in 1971

People in Sheffield will get to have their say on a long-running debate concerning the relocation of the city's only hospice.

St Luke's met with opposition when it said it wanted to relocate to a site in a corner of Graves Park.

After months of wrangling, a deal was struck with the council last month to build a new, more modern hospice on the former Bluestones Infant School site.

If the move is voted on, there will be a consultation with local people.

When Paul Scriven took over as council leader in May he rejected the plan to relocate the hospice from Whirlow Lane, Whirlow, to a part of Graves Park.

'Protect parks'

In a report due to go before the council's cabinet on Wednesday, he said: "The damaging and unhelpful episode was created by the previous administration who supported the move to develop on a local park that was given to the people of Sheffield by JG Graves.

"We are committed to seeing St Luke's Hospice prosper and continue to provide an excellent service to the people of Sheffield but are also committed to protecting all our local parks from development."

Cabinet members will be asked to consider the disposal of the Bluestones site for St Luke's Hospice Trust's exclusive use on a 250-year lease and at annual rent of about £40,000 a year.

Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, cabinet member for climate change and local environment, said: "Local people have told us that they want to see a positive resolution to this long-running issue as quickly as possible.

"We will be consulting with local people on this proposal, but I'm hopeful we can find a happy ending to this episode."