Three-storey care home thrown out by planners

8:30am Thursday 25th December 2008

PLANS to build a new care home in Winterbourne have been thrown out by planners.

The family behind the existing The Grove care home, on High Street, had applied for permission for another nursing home but the proposals were met with opposition from residents.

People living on High Street complained that another care home would only add to the traffic chaos along the main road through Winterbourne.

Residents said the three-storey building would have been too close to the Tesco Express and Esso garage and the High Street’s three schools.

Winterbourne Parish Council was also firmly opposed to the plans.

Chairman of the council’s planning committee Cllr Margaret Bates said the size of the new building would be "overwhelming".

She added: "It is an enormous size.

"There would also be an inadequate number of parking spaces for that many residents and it is planned for a busy corner right next to the Tesco garage.

"Traffic is already busy at that end of the High Street and this would completely block it."

Director of Grove Care, Martin McCarthy, opened The Grove 18 years ago and has lived in Winterbourne ever since.

He said the existing home catered for patients with dementia but this new residential home would meet local demand for elderly people who can no longer look after themselves.

He told the Gazette: "We wanted to create a mini care village.

"This is a big project in a small village but there is a real need for it.

"Local doctors’ surgeries were over the moon about our plans."

Planners at South Gloucestershire Council rejected the plans on the grounds the home would have a detrimental impact on the village.

Area planning manager Helen O’Connor said the new building would be too close to several houses and overbearing on the High Street.