7/3/2008

Local News in Fleet

Home on industrial estate is approved

A nursing home once described as looking like a prison has finally got the go-ahead.

Hart District Council’s planning committee has given BUPA Care Services permission to build the 64-bed care home on Redfields Industrial Estate in Church Crookham.

The home will be built on land between Redfields Garden Centre and the industrial estate, which is earmarked for business and industrial use in Hart District Council’s local plan development blueprint.

A government planning inspector approved the siting of the nursing home in September 2006 following an appeal.

However, Hart planners were unimpressed by the original designs for the home and unanimously rejected that application for planning permission.

Independent councillor Denis Gotel said the proposed home had looked more like a barracks, adding that the design was appalling.

Conservative Stephen Parker branded the nursing home design as “an affront to all elderly people”.

He added: “If this nursing home was the prison that it architecturally resembles then it would have an exercise yard.”

Fleet and Crookham Civic Society said the proposed building was more suited to an “austere barracks block” than to a prestigious nursing home. However, BUPA Care Services submitted a new application, which has now been approved.

Commenting on the latest plan, Cllr Parker said: “It looks a lot less like a prison than the previous scheme.

“They’ve added a proper outside space and improved the appearance so that it is much less of an eyesore.

“However, it still represents the industrialisation of care of the elderly because it is on an industrial estate.

“It is an outrage that the planning inspector allowed such a location for the care of our most vulnerable citizens.”

Cllr Gotel agreed, adding: “They’ve jigged it around and it is an improvement but it’s somewhat sad that this care home is being built on what is virtually an industrial estate.

The windows of some rooms will only be a few metres away from all the industrial traffic going in and out of the estate.”

Cllr Gotel said the BUPA care home was not as good a scheme as the new residential care home and secure unit proposed at Hill House in Ewshot, which was refused by the same planning committee.

“Here we have a BUPA home on an industrial estate that has been approved but then we have an extension to a highly successful nursing home that is well set in its situation that has been refused. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Cllr Gotel added: “It’s all very well for these elderly people to sit out in the garden but if all they’re going to do is watch the industrial estate traffic going past and breathe in the fumes then it’s not very pleasant.”

The latest scheme also came under fire from Crookham Village Parish Council, which warned the parking spaces proposed for the development would be “woefully inade-quate” at peak times.

Village leaders were concerned that storm water could run off into the ditch along the other side of Redfields Lane. This was a major concern as it has flooded several times in recent years.

However, Hart council planning officials recommended approval of the latest scheme. An officer’s report to councillors said the proposal is acceptable in principle and accords with the local plan.

It said the design and appearance of the building would be sympathetic to the surrounding area, with the size of the overall footprint of the building being reduced from the previously refused scheme to allow for more amenity space for residents.

The report added that there would be no additional impact on neighbouring residents, the proposal conforms to parking standards, the landscaping is sufficient and a badger run would be built along the northern boundary of the site.

Savills, consultants for the applicant, said BUPA Care Services is committed to achieving good design and ensuring accessibility. It said the design had been created with regard to the character and appearance of the area,  exceeded national standards for care homes and considerd feedback from planning officials and committee members.

Savills added: “This scheme provides a robust and functional building. The proposed care home has been carefully considered against design and access criteria as well as national guidance and local planning policies.”

First printed in: Fleet News and Mail