A MUCH-LOVED community hospice could more than double in size if ambitious expansion plans are given the green light by councillors.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has submitted a planning application on behalf of the Countess of Brecknock Hospice to build a new 1,500 sq ft inpatient wing on currently unused land neighbouring the current Andover War Memorial based facility.

The proposed site has been left unoccupied following the demolition of a former outpatient unit in 2011.

But if plans are given the go-ahead the land could be converted into a new wing for the hospice with four new palliative care bedrooms, additional care facilities and two landscaped courtyards.

The well-respected hospice, which has run in Andover for over 25 years, currently has six bedrooms, allowing them to care for 258 patients in 2015.

According to the application the expansion would allow the hospice to provide new services and address its current issue with “insufficient inpatient capacity”.

As well as creating more and larger bedrooms, the expansion will also accommodate a new social area into the middle of the hospice, a large treatment room and a new entrance.

The two new courtyards, which are accessible from each of the bedrooms, will be designed to provide a “calm and serene” environment for patients.

Meanwhile the current building will be converted to provide extra ancillary rooms, office space and staff facilities.

It is anticipated the hospice will bring in five new full-time equivalent staff as a result of the expansion.

Dr Lara Alloway, consultant in palliative medicine at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are delighted the Countess of Brecknock charity are funding the development of a new hospice building, to expand the number of rooms and facilities currently available.

“This will ensure local people have access to hospice beds when they need them and the new build will also provide more space for therapies and family support.

“The hospice, rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, is increasingly busy supporting people to live as well as possible until they die.

“This development will prevent waiting lists for beds and day services and ensure local people are cared for in their local hospice.”

Test Valley Borough Council is currently in the process of reviewing the plans before they are put forward to the Northern Area Planning Committee later this year.

The council currently has a determination deadline of November 4.

TVBC say that if the application is dealt with under delegated powers then the application should be dealt with by that date.

If the application goes before the Northern Area Planning Committee the earliest date it could be discussed would be November 17.