WORK could start on a new £16million state-of-the- art building for Havens Hospices next year, the charity has revealed.

Havens Hospices was granted planning permission in 2015 for the new building on the former Ekco site in Priory Crescent, Southend, as a replacement for its Westcliff adult hospice.

Havens, which also runs Little Havens children’s hospice, cast doubt on the scheme back then, saying it did not have the money required.

In an interview with the Echo, chief executive Andy Smith said initially, the charity had no cash for the new hospice.

It has since launched a range of fundraising events and this week the charity said it was more optimistic of having the money needed to go-ahead with the plan.

A spokeswoman for the Havens said: “The plans for the new Fair Havens Hospice are moving on. Currently, Bellway Homes are still developing the site on Priory Crescent, and we are hopeful we will be able to start building on our part of the site next year.

“This year we have been working with other healthcare providers and the local clinical commissioning groups to discuss how to integrate the new Fair Havens Hospice into wider support for people with life -limiting conditions.

“This would use the new hospice to offer new services like, for example, specialist day clinics to support people to live well for longer with their illnesses.”

The spokeswoman added: “Each of these conversations shapes exactly how we want the space inside the building to look and be used to best meet the needs of local people.”

The new hospice, which will be opposite Priory Park, will replace the charity’s existing one in Westcliff, is designed to care for people for 50 years and will have double the intake of the current facility.

The development - a joint proposal along with Bellway Homes - will see a 231-home estate in Priory Crescent site.

Building is well under way and many of the homes are already being sold.

A spokeswoman said: “The sales team at Ekco has been seeing a very regular footfall of purchasers on site and the homes have been selling really well.

“Most buyers are local and there have been quite a number of NHS buyers. The Help to Buy scheme has been extremely popular.”

The development has one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses, opposite Priory Park.

Bellway is offering the government-backed Help to Buy scheme on selected plots.

Buyers only need a five per cent deposit and receive an interest free loan of up to 20 per cent of the value of their new home.

This means a mortgage only needs to be secured for the remaining 75 per cent.

Prices for the homes start from £267,995.