POORLY children will not have as far to travel for care after plans for a children’s hospice were given the go ahead in Radcliffe.

Bury Hospice has been granted planning permission for refurbishment work to be carried out at the Dumers Lane site.

Youngsters from Bolton could be cared for at the centre, rather than travelling to Derian House in Chorley or Francis House in Didsbury.

The former Bury Hospice building has been vacant since the hospice moved to its new £5 million state-of-the-art centre in Rochdale Old Road, Bury, in March.

The approval of the planning application means that changes can be made to the building to make it suitable for the care of terminally-ill children.

The children’s hospice — provisionally called Kringle House — will cost around £1 million and the Department of Health has already pledged £507,297 towards it.

A courtyard will become an outside play area, directly linked to the daycare lounge, and an existing doctor’s room will be demolished.

A hydrotherapy pool will be installed in one of the bathrooms and a quiet room will be converted into a sensory room Administrative areas on the first floor will become accommodation for patients’ families, including a family lounge with kitchenette, two bedrooms, and shower and toilet facilities.

Bedrooms will be refurbished to suit young people and will be painted to create a “warm and welcoming” feeling.

A new lift will be installed to provide access to the upper floor and some alterations could be made to improve disabled access.

It is proposed that 21 full-time and 24 part-time members of staff will work there.

The new centre will is expected to open next year and will be run in partnership with Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.