ELLIE'S Haven should be up and running later next year. Conversion works are scheduled to start on January 5 to create the respite holiday home.

The Ellie's Haven charity, founded by Nigel and Julie Libby of Looe, is transforming a property it bought at Duloe in 2012.

January 5 marks three years to the day that the couple's daughter, Ellie, died, just a few weeks before her seventh birthday.

Ellie suffered from complex medical conditions and she was the inspiration behind the Libbys' dream to open a specially-adapted home which could offer free respite holidays to the families of children with life-limiting conditions. Previously the Libbys' son Thomas, who had similar medical problems to Ellie, died when he was 14 months old.

The building work is scheduled to be completed by August and it is hoped that holidays will be offered to families soon after that.

The charity has awarded the building contract to Positive Feedback, a Looe-based company managed by Steve Kitto.

The work, designed and supervised by local architect Andrew Thomas, will include a new entrance area, a circular lounge with a conical roof, reconfiguring the property interior and the conversion of a large garage/workshop to house a sensory room.

Ellie's Haven has raised a total of £682,730 to date of which £387,500 went on purchasing the property. After building work costing £279,615, there will be other costs for fitting out, sensory room equipment and a sensory garden.