Hodkinson Consultancy is delighted to have supported the successful planning application for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice in Barnet. Noah’s Ark currently supports around 150 children and their families at home and in the community. The new hospice building will enable the charity to care for more than 450 children and their families.
The Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is a charity which our Practice, along with other construction professionals, is very pleased to support. Kate Paxton who leads our work on this project says it has been a great opportunity to give something to those who are less fortunate, and at the same time, work on such an inspiring project.
The planning committee’s approval emphasised respect for the natural environment, requiring an appropriate landscaping scheme. Landscaping will act as a key feature, creating a pleasant and calming environment, providing play areas, and linking the mood inside the building to its astounding green belt and nature reserve surroundings. The building will sit in a 7.5-acre nature reserve.
It will be an inspiring space for palliative care, relaxation and adventure in a home from home environment, allowing young people and their families to connect with others facing similar challenges, and to be given the time and space to be children, not just patients. Providing a focal point for social interaction is also a priority – between volunteers, community outreach workers and family visitors, who will use the building as a hub.
The highly sustainable building will be designed to achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating and we are looking forward to working with the team to deliver successful certification. The agreed energy strategy focusses on a fabric first approach, with a PV array to allow the hospice to generate its own electricity. A green roof, electric vehicle charging points and the enhancement of biodiversity are other key aspects of the design.