Maldon Town Council will vote to either recommend or object to the proposal to create a "Farleigh at Maldon" local hub tonight (Monday, 26 July).

The plans, submitted by Farleigh Hospice, involve a part single, part two-storey front extension to the new Farleigh Hospice site on Mill Road. This will create a new entrance, with clinical or consulting rooms and a quiet room on the ground floor.

The proposal also involves a new garden courtyard to the midsection of the existing building, a garden to the rear and a community café where people can meet eachother.

The hospice bought the premises on Mill Road in January 2020.

The conservation officer at Maldon District Council, who has been consulted on the application, said that the plans will have no impact on the setting or significance of any nearby designated heritage assets.

Environmental Health, also consulted on the plans, said it had no objections to the application. It recommended that the café should limit its hours of operation, including deliveries and collections.

It also made a number of recommendations involving surface water drainage, foul drainage, recycling, land contamination and minimising disturbances to neighbours during construction.

The proposal will be debated by the town council tonight, when it will decide whether to approve or object to the plans. The final decision will then be made by Maldon District Council.