PLANS to demolish an existing 35-bedroom nursing home and replace it with 23 new retirement apartments have been backed by the town council.
Wallingford Town Council have recommended plans from Beechcroft Developments be approved for new apartments to be built on top of the old Winterbrook Nursing Home to the west of Reading Road.
The old nursing and dementia home permanently closed in November last year following controversy in 2019 where three employees were accused of alleged neglect and ill treatment of residents. The case was eventually dropped because of insufficient evidence.
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Now, developers have applied to South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, to demolish the site to make way for age restricted, 55 plus, retirement homes as well as associated communal facilities, parking, access, and landscaping.
Plans include a three-storey building with a “traditional design approach” to reflect the setting of Wallingford.
Cycle storage in a central communal store will be provided on the bases on one space per dwelling and there will be 33 parking spaces in total based on 1.4 unallocated spaces per dwelling. Two will be disabled spaces located near the main entrance.
All dwellings will have level access for wheelchairs and the main building will be served by a central lift.
In a design and access statement, developers said: “The choice of materials and detailing has been carefully considered and it is proposed that the choice of materials will have a positive impact of the locality by referencing its context.
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“The building forms have each been modelled to give a distinct identity through the use of materials and details in order to reduce the massing, while chimney features create a traditional roofscape.
“High quality brick and render will be the dominant material with tile hanging being used to add detail and architectural interest to the scheme.”
The town council previously recommended the application, which was first submitted in March 2021, be refused due to “over development”.
In a joint statement, the planning committee said: “Wallingford Town Council objects to this planning application [due to] over development of the site, the effect of the large building on the neighbours [and] balconies overlooking neighbouring properties
“The proposed plans are also in the conservation area and no reference is made of this and any requirement for an archaeological brief.”
However, amended plans reducing the overall size and shape of the building, but maintaining the number of apartments, were submitted this month. This also included a tree protection plan.
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It was proposed that the plans be recommended for approval and the planning authority will make a final decision by June 20.
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Read more from this author
This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.
Gee covers Wallingford and Didcot.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland
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