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‘Poorly designed’ care home plan rejected

A proposal to demolish three homes in Streetly and replace them with a 60-bed care home have been thrown out by planners.

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An artist's impression of what the care home in Thornhill Road, Streetly, could have looked like. PIC: Design and access statement by Harris Irwin Associates

Barchester Healthcare wanted to replace the three large homes on Thornhill Road, across the road from Sutton Park and golf course, with a care home for elderly people, the infirm and those with dementia.

As well as 60 bedrooms, the company said the development would have featured a quiet room, hairdressers, lounges, kitchens, a cafe and activity room along with a 24-space car park.

But Walsall Council rejected the proposal calling it “poorly designed” and said it would have a negative impact on neighbouring residential properties as well as the surrounding green space areas.

They also raised concerns about impact on wildlife, in particular bats, insufficient parking, flood risk and insufficient information on level of care to be provided.

Ward councillor Brian Douglas-Maul welcomed the decision to refuse it and said a care home would be “unsuitable” in the area.

In their design and access statement, agents Harris Irwin Associates said: “The proposal for the site is to provide a high quality care home that responds positively to its context, whilst providing for the needs identified in the Client’s brief.

“The care operator seeks to build a 60 bedroom care home catering for the elderly, infirm, and those suffering from dementia.

“The proposed care home will be light, bright, spacious and homely with easy access to amenities including dining, lounges, bistro, cinema and hairdressing.

“All ground floor amenity areas and bedrooms will have direct access to external landscaped areas. The outdoor areas will be an attractive setting for residents as well as providing a better quality of life and well being.

“The proposed development has been carefully considered in terms of its use, scale and overall design to help compliment the surrounding buildings and landscaping, as well as provide an important function that is needed in the community.”

Councillor Douglas-Maul, who also lives nearby, said: “A care home is just not in keeping with this area.

“The road is not suitable – it is horrendous in terms of traffic and there are also no buses that would serve it.

“I agree with the assessment by planning officers and I’ve yet to meet anyone in the area who is actually in favour of it.”

In their decision notice, Walsall Council planners said: “The largely three storey care home building would occupy almost the full width and depth of the assembled site; reducing or removing the existing spacing to existing neighbouring dwellings, combined with the large scale, massing and excessive height of the new development would result in a cramped and over-bearing development which would have a detrimental impact on the existing spacious and verdant character of street scene and wider area.

“The proposal is considered to be a poorly designed development which fails to properly take account of the spacious green context and surroundings.”

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