CONTROVERSIAL plans to knock down two homes in Handforth Road, Wilmslow and build a 65-bed care home in their place could get the go-ahead next week.

Cheshire East Council’s northern planning committee will meet to discuss the application from New Care Project next Wednesday – and officers are calling on members to give the scheme the green light.

In a report issued ahead of the meeting, officers said: “The development will provide suitable accommodation to enable an ageing population within Cheshire East to live full independent lives for as long as possible.

“It is considered that the proposal would make a valuable contribution towards meeting an identified housing need for elderly people within the borough, as well as continuity in their care, which is a material consideration of significant weight.

“A number of economic benefits will also arise from the development including additional trade for local business and the creation of employment.”

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Wilmslow Town Council has objected to the scheme – suggesting the care home would be ‘out of keeping with the area’, that its provision of 26 parking spaces is inadequate and that the home would be overbearing on neighbouring properties.

CEC also received a total of 84 objections to the scheme, which was ‘called in’ for debate by Cllr Barry Burkhill, independent member for Handforth.

“The application has created significant and extensive local concern,” he said.

“It will create precedence for other houses in this area on both sides of the road in an area of large, low density, detached properties, widely separated, set in their own grounds and will inappropriately alter the character of the area.

“There is concern about overlooking a large car parking area and the parking provided does not meet parking standards, particularly at peak times.”

Esther McVey, Conservative MP for Tatton, has also objected to the proposal – and raised concerns about the impact it could have on local NHS services.

Knutsford Guardian:

She said: “I am aware that the service is already stretched with the patients due as a result of the increased housing brought forward in the local plan.

“To ask them to cope with an additional 60-plus patients whose needs are likely to be more acute than a general member of the population is unreasonable.

“This is not the right location for a care home of this size or scale.”

If approved, New Care Project will be required to make a £31,324 contribution towards healthcare provision.

The developer is also waiting for an answer on whether it can build an 83-bed care home on the site, having put forward the larger plan five months before it submitted the 65-bed one last August.

CEC says the developer has appealed against the delay on the larger scheme.

To view the 65-bed application, search for ‘18/4024M’ on CEC’s planning website.

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