Approval has been granted for the construction of a 68-bed care home after residents’ complaints were addressed by changes in the design.
Land next to Brookfield, in Providence Hill, Bursledon, will soon be converted into the home for nursing care.
There will also be three independent cottages for age-restricted occupancy and on-site parking following planning permission given by Eastleigh Brough Council.
The Colten Care application was rejected last November because the proposed building was considered excessively tall and bulky.
The other main reason for the refusal was the “insufficient” provision for on-site parking, resulting in the loss of parking for residents.
Following the borough council’s feedback, improvements to the main design and layout have been addressed to overcome the reasons for refusal.
The cottages have been reduced from five to three, freeing up spaces for more parking to support the development.
Nearby informal parking space, which currently serves the needs of residents, will be retained.
The building height has been reduced and the number of bedrooms has decreased by only one due to the creation of a “more efficient” layout, officers indicated.
Concerns around the increased pressure on surrounding GPs due to the extra patients were also addressed after a “detailed” explanation of how the care home will work, which “actually can help to reduce health services on the NHS”.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrate Care Board did not raise any objections.
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On behalf of Colten Care, director of development Phil Brannon said that before resubmitting the proposals, they had engaged with council officers, met one-to-one with neighbours and consulted with GP practice managers.
He added: “We have listened carefully to the previous reasons for refusal and have responded comprehensively. We have improved the relationship between residents of Brookfield and the care home.”
Regarding the concerns over the extra pressure on GPs, Mr Brannon said that the on-site nurses, who will work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, will alleviate the pressure on the local NHS.
He added that future residents will come from the area, already registered with GPs, meaning that “it won’t have any detrimental impact to the local health care provision”.
Cllr Jane O’Sullivan said: “The application has been a bit of a marathon. From the outset, you do want to listen to people […] I do feel that people have listened to each other.
"The amendments directly address the concerns raised by us and our neighbours in Brookfield.
“A good quality care home is certainly needed in Bursledon and now, with the revised plan, that’s what we are going to get.”
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