Agenda item
18/01209/FUL - Proposed residential accommodation with care (Class C2) comprising 67 apartments with communal facilities, landscaping and parking - Former Fire Station and Library Building, Windsor Street, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 2BJ - Mr. A. Taylor
Minutes:
Officers reported that the Applicant had spent a considerable amount of time in seeking pre-application advice from Officers and had addressed concerns raised regarding previous schemes. The proposed development would be setback from the URC Church, the listed building along Windsor Street, in order to avoid dominance over the church.
At the invitation of the Chairman Mr. M. Norton, addressed the Committee in objection to the Application, and Mr. R. Gaskell, the Applicant’s agent, addressed the Committee.
Consideration was then given to the application which had been recommended for approval by Officers. Members raised a number of queries with Officers with regard to the storage and collection of the communal waste bins; and the relevant planning history, as detailed on page 34 of the main agenda report.
Members commented that they were pleased to see that a mobility scooter store had been included in the proposed extensive communal facilities; and that having conducted a Site Visit were of the view that the development would be an enhancement to the area.
Whilst Members welcomed the proposed development, Members expressed their concerns that Redditch and Bromsgrove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) was not seeking a contribution from the developer. Officers confirmed that the response, as detailed on page 30 of the main agenda report, was the full response as received from the CCG. Officers further clarified that they had contacted the CCG on two separate occasions to confirm that they would not be seeking a contribution from the developer; to which the CCG had responded that there original comment stood. Members were informed that Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG was not a statutory consultee.
Members were of the opinion that the proposed development would create extra demand on local health services in the area, more specifically with GP surgeries becoming increasing overloaded and the potential for GP appointment waiting times to be increased.
Officers reported that the proposed development would have a high level of flexible care built in and that the scheme would allow residents to receive more acute care as their needs intensified. Occupancy restriction would be to those aged 55 years or older who were assessed to be in need of care, as detailed on pages 27 and 43 of the main agenda report.
Having considered the Application and all of the information and having sought clarification from Officers; Members accepted and understood that the scheme would provide an element of care and acute care for potential residents. However, the Committee expressed deep concerns, as highlighted during their in depth discussion, with regard to the CCG not seeking any contribution from the developer.
Members were of the view that their concerns were paramount and that a response should be sought from Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG with regard to the concerns raised by Committee Members. The comment received from the CCG appeared to Members to be ambivalent.
RESOLVED
a) that this matter be deferred to enable Officers to have further discussions with Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG, in order to reiterate the concerns raised by Committee Members and to establish full reasons for them not seeking a contribution from the developer of this proposed care home; and
b) that the outcome of those discussions be brought back to a future meeting of the Planning Committee for consideration.
Supporting documents:
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