Hampshire County Council scraps multimillion-pound care plan after closing Solent Mead in Lymington and Cranleigh Paddock in Lyndhurst
A MULTIMILLION-pound plan to build three new care homes – including one in the New Forest – has been scrapped by Hampshire County Council.
The authority made the pledge last year following its decision to close Solent Mead in Church Lane, Lymington, which had around 35 residents, and Cranleigh Paddock in Lyndhurst, which had been temporarily shut since 2021.
It said the investment of more than £173m over five to six years was in order to focus on delivering specialist nursing and complex dementia care, short term hospital support, as well as building three new care homes across the county. One was planned for the New Forest, although the council did not specify a location.
Speaking at the time, Hampshire County Council’s lead member for adult social care and public health, Cllr Liz Fairhurst, said some of its buildings were “far from ideal, with small rooms, limited space for essential equipment and no en suite facilities”, adding: “This is not the way we want to deliver care in future and why things need to change – so that we can offer people support with the maximum dignity possible.”
Now the council has confirmed the plans have been scrapped after “consistent” and “sustainable” rates to purchase good-quality beds in the market, and the rise in building costs by around £50 million make the plans “no longer stack up financially”.
The council has been accused of having “no intention of keeping to its promises” by Lymington and Pennington mayor, Cllr Jack Davies.
Cllr Davies, a Lib Dem, told the A&T: “This is just the latest example of this out-of-touch Conservative administration taking our town for granted. I’m sick and tired of it.
“They never had any intention of keeping to their promises. The Lib Dems fought to keep Solent Mead open, alongside others, because local people need an affordable care home in Lymington should they need to use it.”
He added: “When whatever new council takes over, I will be urging them to reopen Solent Mead so that it can once again serve the people of Lymington and Pennington.”
HCC leader, Nick Adams-King, said given the council’s financial situation it was “entirely right we reviewed the market”.
He explained: “It doesn’t mean that we scrapped the entire programme, but it does mean that it’s right we look at it again. The changes that we have to consider here, actually, much of this is at the door of the government. It’s the government’s financial decisions that have caused us to be in a situation where interest rates have been rising.
“Things are changing. We need to respond to an ever-increasing and ever-more complex need. In doing so, we need to use every single lever we have at our disposal to use our money and resources to the best of our ability. It’s right that we stop and we look at this.”
A further report on options available to the council will be presented in “due course”.
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