Sheltered housing gets go ahead (From Gazette Series)

Sheltered housing gets go ahead

PLANS for a new nursing home and sheltered housing development in Dursley have been given the thumbs up by town councillors.

Despite objecting last month to this latest development in the Littlecombe site saga, town councillors at their January meeting offered their support for the idea of a nursing home at The Towers rather than the originally-suggested hotel.

Joint developers, the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and St Modwen, were forced to change their application after the site attracted no interest from companies for running The Towers as a hotel.

The plans include a glass corridor being built on to The Towers, joining it to an extension, which will house 13 assisted-living units. An additional building is proposed to provide a 45-bedroom nursing home facility.

Cllr Anne-Marie Rutter, chairman of the planning town improvements committee, told the town council that a nursing home instead of a hotel would create a lot less traffic and could provide up to 91 jobs.

Cllr Veronica Collins said: "I propose we support the development. It will supply jobs and services to the area."

While agreeing to support the application, the town council decided to comment to Stroud District Council on the materials and design of the development.

Mayor Jane Ball said: "We are all in agreement that we are all supportive, with no objections except that the design and materials should be more sympathetic."

Dreena Menelaws, a former housekeeper at The Towers when it was used to house Lister-Petter customers from out of town, told the Gazette that she was in favour of the latest plans.

"I don't want the site used for just any old thing," she said.

"If they can't get anybody to run the hotel then a nursing home is the next best thing. It's an excellent idea." LJG