Hospital garden plan for spinal injury patients

A MIDDLESBROUGH hospital could be getting a new garden to help those recovering from spinal injuries.

- By DANIEL HODGSON

Proposals submitted to Middlesbrough Council seek planning permission for a new garden room, a smaller "pod" space and a greenhouse, along with an office/shed and storage space.

The new buildings, along with a secured gate entrance, would all be located at The Golden Jubilee regional spinal injuries centre at James Cook University Hospital.

Currently, the site primed for development acts as a paved courtyard garden.

Detailed plans were set out on behalf of the applicant, Horatio's Garden, which is a charity that sets out to nurture the wellbeing of people after spinal injury in "beautiful, accessible and sustainable gardens", within NHS spinal injury centres.

Papers lodged with the council said: "The ambition is to transform the courtyard adjacent to the spinal unit to provide a wheelchair accessible, restorative garden, which will benefit thousands of patients, relatives and NHS staff."