OBJECTIONS to plans for a former Winchester care home to become new flats have doubled in the last week.

By Thursday, October 26, 60 objections had been submitted for the proposal to demolish Bereweeke Court Nursing Home in Bereweeke Road, Weeke, and redevelop the site.

Now, councillors and the City of Winchester Trust have expressed their opposition for the plans, after residents shared their views on the 'excessive' plans for the site. 

The care home closed earlier this year after its operator, HC-One, said the running costs were too high.

Affordable housing would make up 40 per cent of the development. 

Cllr Kelsie Learney submitted an objection on behalf of all three councillors in the St Barnabas ward.

The other two are Cllrs James Batho and Jonny Morris.

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The objection said: “While the existing building extends close to the edges of the plot it is currently at one/two storey height with varied rooflines which help the building recede into the background with no sense of overlooking neighbouring properties.

“The design is unsympathetic to the area -while there have been a couple of modern style developments in the road these are either individual homes or well concealed at street level.

“The three ward councillors do not object to the principle of redeveloping the site and welcome the proposed inclusion of affordable homes but object to the proposed scale of the development and its design.”

Hampshire Chronicle: Bereweeke Court

An objection from the City of Winchester Trust said: “The Trust feels that the demolition of the existing building requires justification. We also question the size of the proposed building and feel that the application is an overdevelopment of the site. The number of car parking spaces is inadequate for the number of dwellings and will create more parking clutter in Bereweeke Road, and the development itself will create a considerable increase in vehicle movements.”

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In the only supporting comment so far, former city councillor Ian Tait said: “The nursing home is not an attractive building so its replacement will be a good thing.“In view of the climate change crisis we need to get over our addiction to the private motor car and find alternative ways of getting around like cycling and walking.

“Whilst I don't think the proposed building is particularly interesting (just my opinion) the applicant has used a very well respected local architectural practice so I am happy to support the design.”

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.”

To view more details about the application online, search 23/02001/FUL on Winchester City Council's planning portal.