Nottinghamshire Care Home Given Go-Ahead

WORK will start next summer on a new 40-bed care home in Retford after permission was finally granted following a lengthy planning saga.

Residential care group FBC Care Homes Ltd applied for planning permission to replace their Branthwaite Care Home, on Welham Road, with a new premises at the same site.

Home owners claimed the proposal would be good news for Retford – creating new jobs, improving facilities for residents and staff, and providing a needed new home for the town’s elderly at a time of care home closures.

The new home would comply fully with all modern care regulations, in line with standards of sister home Cherry Holt, also on Welham Road.

But various issues regarding the size, location and surrounding area of the proposed premises resulted in planning refusals, followed by an appeal by FBC Care Homes Ltd managing director Rocky Sooriah.

Matters were resolved with planning officers after a re-design, the remaining concern being the home’s potentially detrimental effect on the appearance of the area, in particular the view of the home from the road.

New plans addressed this by moving the building back from the highway and reducing its size from 47 beds to 40 beds.

A professional landscaper has also been employed to ensure the appearance of the area is maintained, if not improved.

The application was resubmitted, and this time planning officers said they had no grounds to refuse it.

“Following a Planning Consultation Group meeting, Bassetlaw District Council has granted me planning permission to erect a new 40-beds care home in replacement of the existing one,” said Mr Sooriah.

“This has been a very long saga, but I’m very happy and relieved to be able to provide a better place for local elderly people.

“We are an established family business with many years in the care industry and we have always put the needs of Retford’s elderly people at the heart of what we do.”

There was a 13-week consultation period before the application was granted. Social services, surgeries and local councillors gave the plans their support.

“The great majority of people have been very supportive,” said Mr Sooriah.

“The new premises will replace the existing Branthwaite Care Home at the Welham Road site, providing an extra 19 beds.

“Staffing levels will also be increased with 10-15 extra jobs created.”

It is hoped building work will start next May-June, and that the new home will be up and running before the end of next year.