PATIENTS have been settling into a new eco-friendly therapy pod at Colchester Hospital.

It is hoped the therapeutic unit in the hospital's Time Garden will provide a peaceful space for patients receiving end of life care.

The Time Garden opened in June following support from community fundraising and in the Daily Gazette.

The pod, or Green Unit, contains room for a bed, and there are chairs and other soft furnishings.

Dr Angela Tillett, medical director at the trust running the hospital, said: “The curved shape of the unit gives an immediate feeling of calm and allows patients to relax with loved ones in a private space and comfortable environment."

The building was created by Green Unit, a firm based in Oxfordshire, in collaboration with KLH Architects and meets the NHS' pledge to become more environmentally friendly.

It is based on the concept of a Passivhaus, meaning it is ultra energy efficient. It has been timber engineered and its insulation includes sheeps' wool and recycled plastic wool.

The triple-glazed building also has a Sedum plant roof which is also easy to maintain and helps to insulate it.

All these features mean it is low carbon compared to conventional buildings.

It was factory built and then delivered, virtually complete, by crane to the hospital where it was installed over two days.

The hospital has committed to meeting the NHS's 80 per cent carbon reduction target by 2050.

A spokeswoman for the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which runs the hospital, added: “We are so delighted to have this new garden and our very own pod which means our patients can spend time with their family and friends in a quiet space away from the ward environment.

“The feedback we have had is very positive and since we opened the garden we have been able to review some aspects of the design so it’s completely safe for patients and we are making one or two adjustments so as many people as possible can access this fantastic place of calm.”