A firm of architects has been nominated for an award for its services to the community after helping to save a children's hospice nearly £160,000 for a new annexe.

Clear Architects, in Church Hill, Loughton, has been shortlisted in the community benefit category for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors East of England Awards for work on Haven House in High Road, Woodford Green.

The firm was commissioned to create a £700,000 holistic care centre to enable the charity to expand and deliver essential services to the children closer to their homes.

The hospice recieved a reduced £464,000 grant from the Department of Health in 2013, and faced a shortfall of around £200,000.

Clear Architects redesigned the annexee and drew on contractors and suppliers to donate time and resources to enable them to provide as much to the new building as possible within the reduced grant figure.

In total, those involved in the build, including Clear Architects, donated an estimated £160,000 to the project.

Today, the holistic care centre houses two consultation rooms, activity space for up to 50 people and a music therapy room funded by the Amy Winehouse Foundation.

It was officially opened by the Duchess of Gloucester in September.

The architects, which are celebrating their 10th year in business, is also behind plans to re-open a historic cinema at The Regal building in Hale End Road, Highams Park.

Clear Architects director, Melanie Clear, said: “Having been given a brief tour of Haven House and seen the valuable work they do, I was fully on board with the project from the first minute.

“We are thrilled to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award, which recognises the unique challenge of marrying design and function for this incredibly important community space. 

The award will be announced on May 6 at a ceremony held at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds, hosted by BBC Look East presenter Janine Machin.