Approval for 70-bed care home near planned homes in Burgate

PLANS for a new 70-bed care home have been given the green light.

Frontier Estates has secured planning permission to build the home on land to the south of the Wheelwrights Post in Salisbury Road, Burgate.

The proposal went before members of New Forest District Council’s planning committee as the development is on a parcel of land associated with a strategic site in the authority’s local plan.

As reported by the A&T, the plans had sparked concerns by NFDC over its size.

While the scheme was supported by Fordingbridge Parish Council to meet an identified need, an objection was raised by a resident at Wheelwrights Post, who runs a business offering self-catering holiday cottages.

Jeremy Harrison, whose family live in the Wheelwrights Post and are the only immediate neighbours to the site, said he recognised the need for care homes.

He told the committee meeting his concerns related to the impact on his property and his business, as well as the safety and aesthetics of the scheme.

The most polluting elements of the scheme, namely the car park, electricity substation and air source heat pump compound, were located on the only boundary in close proximity to other dwellings, the objector said.

Mr Harrison said the proposed provision of 23 car parking spaces was “totally inadequate”.

He added that no one had been able to answer why this was not located along one of the other boundaries.

Pennyfarthing Homes, which is bringing forward housing on the majority of the wider strategic site, had no objection in principle to the scheme.

However, the firm said it would not be delivering an onward section of pathway from the care home site to connect with their development area.

A planning officer told the committee there was an identified need for new care homes given the district’s ageing population.

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, agent Rachel Lamb, associate director at Gillings Planning, said the site was an “optimal” location for a care home.

“The home will allow local people to remain where they have always lived, close to their family and friends, whilst also gaining access to the specialist care, help and support that they need, including end of life, nursing and specialist dementia care,” Ms Lamb said.

She added the development would help to create a “balanced community” to the wider site and meet the identified local need.

Cllr David Hawkins said he was pleased to see the scheme include green energy with the air source heat pumps.

The application was approved in line with a planning officer’s recommendation, with all committee members in favour bar one abstention.