Rudheath 68-bed care home plans get go-ahead from Cheshire West

At Thursday’s meeting, Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee approved plans from Cheshire Care Homes to build the two-storey care home at the site of 162 Middlewich Road.

The plans include a library and coffee lounge that will be open to the public, plus an enclosed garden, while a number of bedrooms will have greater security for residents with dementia.

Brian Walker, representing the developer, told the committee that the final plans followed much work with planning officers and consultation with the community.

“There is desperate need for this facility in the borough,” he added.

“There is provision for a community library and coffee lounge – which will encourage interaction with neighbours, residents and their families.

“There will be employment for 50 members [of staff] full-time and 10 members part-time, made up over three shifts, which will be sourced locally.

“They will be encouraged to use green methods of transportation while being a positive influence to Rudheath and the surrounding areas.”

But Cllr Helen Treeby, Conservative member for Rudheath, warned councillors that ‘lots of residents are very concerned’ about the size of the development – with neighbours in Lavender Drive and Middlewich Road fearing they will be overlooked by it.

She also suggested there might not be enough parking at the site, which is set to have 23 spaces, and warned staff and visitors could be forced to park in Middlewich Road instead.

Opening the debate, Cllr Phil Herbert, independent member for Hartford and Greenbank, shared Cllr Treeby’s concerns.

“The impression I get of this is it’s an excellent facility but it is in the wrong place,” he said.

“This is an operation that goes 24/7, and sadly just by its very nature you are going to get movements in the night – ambulances, doctors, undertakers – and you are going to get staff coming early in the morning.”

Cllr Lynn Riley, Conservative, agreed that CWAC is ‘desperately in need’ for the type of facility but that the Rudheath proposal is ‘just a very tight squeeze’.

However, Cllr Gareth Gould, Labour, felt that the site is currently a ‘lamentable waste of space’ – and that the proposal would become a ‘valuable community asset’.

Cllr Samantha Dixon, Labour, also praised the developer for encouraging future staff to travel using public transport, rather than driving to the site – and insisted it is ‘a facility that is much needed in this borough’.