Amended plans for a care home development on land at Poorhole Lane, Westwood, will be discussed by Thanet councillors tonight {February 19}.
Rooksmead Residential want to build a part two and part three storey care home at the Westwood Acres site in the area previously used as a commercial facility storing machinery and site offices.
Amended plans have reduced rooms from 66 to 60, lowering the height of the building nearest to the 17th Century The Cottage which was retained alongside the Grade II listed main house of Westwood Lodge, built in 1864, and the gate piers when development of 153 modular homes took place.
The development would include 18 parking spaces to the rear of the building, three being disabled bays together with a turning area and bin and cycle unit.
Access is shown opposite The Cottage, on Sycamore Lane, with a planting zone either side.
The outline application is being called in to committee by Cllr Mike Garner due to concerns about the impacts on local biodiversity, trees and roads.
Fifteen objections have been lodged with Thanet council, citing concerns such as a lack of facilities such as doctors, shops and pharmacies in the area to serve the development; suggestions that empty care homes should be revamped instead of building new ones; overdevelopment; traffic congestion from staff and visitors at the care home and the loss of remaining woodland left from the adjoining residential development.
Broadstairs and St Peters Town Council objects, highlighting that the approval for the 153 home development stated the area in question would be reverted back to woodland. The Broadstairs Society echoed the objection for the same reason.
Kent Police also raised concerns about insufficient boundary treatments, the loss of secondary emergency access into the housing estate and the need for more parking.
Thanet council’s former conservation officer also objected to the proposals, saying: “The large and clunky design of the care home may disrupt the historic setting and character of Grade II listed buildings like Westwood Lodge and The Cottage, compromising their architectural and associative significance.
“While the proposed development of a care home at Poorhole Lane may offer practical benefits such as providing specialist accommodation and creating job opportunities, it presents risks to the integrity and significance of nearby built heritage assets.”
A report to councillors says: “The allocated housing site did not include built development on this part of the site (the current application site) being built out and in fact the approved reserved matters application now completed is for 153 units. As such the site that is allocated is providing more units than envisaged.
“The proposed care home use is anticipated to release approximately 39 units into the housing market, achieving additional housing supply that exceeds the allocation number.
“It is considered that the care home would create a successful landmark or gateway building on one of the main routes into Westwood. Matters relating to appearance, scale, layout, landscaping and access would be dealt with at reserved matters stage.
“Concerns have been raised that through the previous outline and reserved matter approval for the 153 dwellings, the area of this application was to be retained for woodland management (including additional planting).
“The woodland management plan identifies the area as Area 3, stating that thinning and additional planting will occur to the areas of existing trees in those areas where tree currently are in situ. This would not conflict with the proposal, with the majority of existing trees within the management plan to the north of the location for the new development.
“Officers consider that the overriding need for the proposed facility in this area, and the economic benefits it brings outweigh the identified harm.”
Planning documents on behalf of Rooksmead Residential say the care home will serve “a considerable need” in the area, adding: “The site is located in an area of the highest demand for care home beds across Thanet district. Several of the care homes in the locality are relatively old, and do not meet the modern expectations with facilities such as wet rooms.
“From our experience, working on several care scheme across the UK, we have an extensive understanding of care accommodation supply, need and demands across England. As of January 2024, we have identified an undersupply of 53 care beds within a three mile radius of the site, as well as an undersupply of 109 care beds within five miles.”
They add: “There are considerable economic benefits from care homes, which contribute an important pillar of sustainable development.
“The following benefits are estimated from the scheme – construction phase (will create) 50 direct jobs on site and 64 indirect jobs in local area plus a £6.8million construction value.
“Operational phase (will create) 62 direct jobs on site in the care industry and 21 indirect jobs supporting the supply chain of the building plus £2.2 million additional income, £74k in business rates per annum and £2.28million health and adult social services savings.”
