Decision due on Crawley retirement community plans

jpco 26-6-13 Oakhurst Grange Nursing Home closed in 2013 (Pic by Jon Rigby) ENGSUS00120130625134844

Plans for a new Southgate retirement community could be approved next week.

Oakhurst Grange Nursing Home, in Goffs Park Road, was run by Bupa and looked after people with dementia, but it closed in 2013 and has been vacant since then.

A planning application for a continuing care retirement community is set to be debated by Crawley Borough Council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday (February 27).

Officers have recommended approval subject to conditions.

The development would be split into five different blocks to provide a range of different residential accommodation for the elderly alongside community facilities.

At the centre of the site would be a proposed village care centre.

The 121-unit application proposes a 42-bed care home, 45 care suites, and 34 care apartments.

According to officers: “Crawley does not currently have a development of this type providing for older people and, in terms of creating a more diverse housing mix and making specific residential provision for older people, the development is welcomed.

“The proposal would also bring a vacant brownfield site back into use.”

A total of 20 objections were received and when plans were amended letters from 14 addresses were sent in.

They raised concerns with the heights of the new buildings, insufficient green space, loss of privacy for neighbours, existing parking problems, potential for disturbance and access arrangements.

Southgate’s county councillor Michael Jones has also objected raising the lack of affordable housing contributions, design, harm to the residential amenity, insufficient landscaping, loss of privacy and inadequate parking.

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