MORE than 25 people living near a former Winchester care home are objecting to plans for new flats.
Developer Archel Homes wants to demolish Bereweeke Court Nursing Home in Bereweeke Road, Weeke, and redevelop the site.
The care home closed earlier this year after its operator, HC-One, said the running costs were too high.
The planning application includes alterations to site access, sub-station, hard and soft landscaping, car parking, cycle store, plant room, refuse and recycling store, drainage and boundary treatments.
Affordable housing would make up 40 per cent of the development.
READ MORE: Bereweeke Court Care Home in Winchester to close due to increased running costs
Nearby residents submitted 29 objections to Winchester City Council by Friday, October 13. No supporting comments have been submitted.
Allan Parker, of Bereweeke Close, said: “If due care / diligence / research have been carried out, this proposal has chosen to ignore it.
“The current resident mix is now outdated. WCC head of housing Gillian Knight has stated that the most urgent need is for housing for the 85 year old sector with a current increase in demand of 36 per cent which will increase by 65 per cent within the next 12 years.
“Affordable housing is currently being provided on the Kings Barton 2,000 home development and an additional 1,000 homes are planned for the Sir John Moore site in Andover Road. So please don't ignore this overlooked sector of society.”
Jill Willder, of Bereweeke Road, said: “Thirty-six flats is excessive for such a constrained site and will result in overdevelopment. The proposal is overbearing in its mass and height and inappropriate for a suburban setting characterised by two-storey detached houses in generous gardens. In a plot of comparable size, The Corner development has 10 two-bedroom flats with commensurate car parking space: a much more appropriate density and a model that Bereweeke Court could follow. Providing only 16 parking spaces for 36 flats is grossly inadequate.”
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Ian Fowler, general manager of Winchester Racquets and Fitness, said: “We are very concerned by the number of parking spaces included within these plans. Sixteen car parking spaces for 36 properties doesn't seem adequate. Winchester Racquets and Fitness already experiences problems with unsolicited parking in the members' car park and we believe this development will cause more issues.
“Whilst we are in favour of redeveloping the site, we don't feel that the plans reflect adequate consideration for the club and its members.
“The club would welcome the opportunity to explore ways in which we can work with and support the new development and its residents.”
On the application's planning statement, it said: “This brownfield site comprises a redundant 50-bedroom care home with 18 car parking spaces, various associated outbuildings, gardens and hard standing. It is screened on its northern, eastern and western boundaries with mature hedging interspersed with semi-mature and mature trees.
“The proposals provide accommodation at the ground, first and second floor level internally. The ground floor includes 10 apartments which have easterly and westerly outlooks and all ground apartments have their own private amenity garden / patio space. A plant room and shared bike store, which can be accessed from the eastern side of the building, are also located on the ground floor.”
To view more details about the application online, search 23/02001/FUL on Winchester City Council's planning portal.
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