A NEW care home could be built in Thornbury after town councillors backed the application which also includes the construction of 23 new homes in the town.

The development would involve the demolition of the former Alexandra offices building off Midland Way which has been unoccupied for the last four years.

The new care facility would provide 70 care beds whilst also creating between 70 and 90 new jobs.

Representatives from developers Newland Homes and Castleoak spoke to councillors at a council meeting on Tuesday, February 10.

Tom Sheppard design manager for Newland Homes told councillors: “We have owned the site for just over a year and in that time have explored several potential development possibilities.

“Unfortunately the existing building is far too big for use as office space and no one took up the option to retain it as business space.

“In December 2013 we were granted permission for a change of use to flats but South Gloucestershire Council expressed a desire to keep some employment on the site.

“They also said that care facilities were needed in the town and that is the route we decided to go down.

“The plan is to build 23 houses and a 70-bed care facility. The site entrance would be from the existing access and we will retain all existing vegetation and landscaping on the site.

The developers told councillors that the care facility and homes would be built concurrently and that they expected the construction process to last between 12 and 18 months

Mo Hassan from Castleoak, a retirement housing developer, told councillors: “There is a clear need for additional care beds in South Gloucestershire. The site would provide 24-hour care to the residents with each bedroom designed to exceed the minimum requirement for size.

“We expect that the care home would create between 70 and 90 new jobs. Shift patterns would be during off-peak times which would be low traffic generating.”

Councillors praised the level of engagement between the developers and residents of Hopkins Close, which backs onto the proposed development.

Cllr Maggie Tyrrell said: “I’m really pleased that Newland Homes have engaged so well with local residents, especially those living in Hopkins Close.

“I know that this council had originally wanted for this land to remain as employment land but it is clear that there is no interest in this site at the moment.

“I would welcome very much more nursing homes in Thornbury because it will give a bit of choice to local residents in where they go.

“It’s also good to see that the amount of parking on this site is substantially more than some recent developments we’ve seen.

Thornbury town councillors agreed not to object to the application as long as a number of conditions were adhered to.

These were: restrictions on permitted development rights, additional fruit tree landscaping on the site, a contribution to a bus route using Midland Way and building time restrictions.