CONTROVERSIAL plans for a 60-bed care home in Handforth Road, Wilmslow, could finally get the green light next week if councillors agree with planning officers.

New Care Project has already had plans for a 65-bed care home turned down by both Cheshire East Council and the Planning Inspectorate at appeal.

CEC’s northern planning committee will now decide on a revised proposal, with five fewer bedrooms and 25 car parking spaces, at its meeting in Macclesfield next Wednesday.

The council has received 54 objections from residents – while Esther McVey MP, Wilmslow Town Council and Handforth Health Centre have also raised concerns – but officers are calling on the committee to approve the plans.

In a report published this week, officers said: “This application has been amended in the light of the inspector’s comments.

“The impact on European protected species and other ecological interests has been assessed by the nature conservation officer and is acceptable.

“Similarly, the proposal also raises no significant visual, amenity, design or flooding issues, and complies with relevant local and national planning policies.

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

The recommendation will come as a blow to objectors against the plans, including Ms McVey, who insists it is ‘not the right location for a care home of this size or scale’.

In an objection sent to CEC, she said: “Handforth Road is predominantly an area of large, mature houses well-spaced within large plots with a low density of buildings. This application is diametrically opposed to that predominant feature of the road.

“This building is large, covers virtually the whole frontage of what is currently two separate houses and extends to a third floor, despite no property in the area doing the same.

“The property extents back over an area far more substantial than the current properties and as a result invades the privacy of residents on each side, most of whom currently are not overlooked.”

Handforth Health Centre also suggested the care home would ‘place additional strain’ on its resources, while Wilmslow Town Council raised fears over the impact of surface water from the care home.

In New Care Project’s planning application, architects Street Design Partnership insisted the development would be a ‘high quality addition to the area’.

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It added: “The proposal is to provide a 60-bedroom residential care home on a well screened, high quality landscaped site.

“The design and massing reflects and respects the residential character of the large detached residences of the immediate locality.”