Revised plans for care home on Handforth Road

Ashands Manor, Sale

Revised plans will be submitted shortly for a care home off Handforth Road in Wilmslow.

Altrincham based New Care originally submitted a planning application in March to demolish two four bedroomed detached houses at 51 to 53 Handforth Road in Wilmslow and replace them with an 83 bedroomed three-storey care home. However, due to some objections from the local community a decision has not been forthcoming and New Care has now submitted an appeal to the planning inspectorate for non-determination.

New Care has amended the scheme to 69 beds, which sees a 17% reduction in bed provision from the original planning application for an 83 bed care home. This has led to a reduction in the footprint of the building and a re-design of the external appearance following advice from Cheshire East's planning department. The new scheme proposes a revised site entrance position as well as 26 car parking spaces, including 6 accessible spaces.

Chris McGoff, CEO at New Care, comments: "It is disappointing that our proposals for a 'new generation' care facility located in the heart of the community, which is where we believe they should be positioned, has received local objection.

"Cheshire East has a known and well reported shortage of quality beds and this is a problem that has been escalated by a "perfect storm" which will only lead to future closures in the Borough. Our elderly demand to be housed in fit for purpose accommodation that offers basic en suite facilities, promoting dignity, independence, wellbeing and person-centred care. This is exactly what our proposed Handforth Road development seeks to achieve, and it is our aim to deliver another award-winning care home that will become a true community asset."

Photo: Ashlands Manor, their care home in Sale.

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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Steven Kingsby
Wednesday 1st August 2018 at 5:09 pm
This is exactly what we expected, probably what the developers wanted originally.

Makes absolutely no difference to all the objections whatsoever. Still demolishing 2 character detached houses and replacing them with a huge building.

A major change of classification of the buildings.
A major loss of privacy to the immediate and nearby neighbours.

Who is C. McGoff kidding? nobody, when he is surprised at getting local objection, oh what a shame.
What's that? he's doing it for the local community, RUBBISH he's doing it to make money.

We've got a shortage of quality beds have we? What about all the other local care homes in the vicinity and one that is empty 1/2 mile away.

Go away McGoff and try to make your profits somewhere else.
Lynne Prescott
Wednesday 1st August 2018 at 5:12 pm
If there are fewer beds and the footprint has gone down, why are there now two fewer parking spaces than there’re originally? Part of local residents concern is the inadequate provision for parking spaces for staff and guests. Although staff will work shifts there will be a changeover period, so parking must allow for 2 shifts worth. Yes there is some public transport, but not much outside traditional commute, which these shifts won’t be. I am still concerned that there will be overflow parking on nearby residential roads that weren’t designed for it ( thinking of Finsbury way)
Jon Newell
Wednesday 1st August 2018 at 5:51 pm
The comments above are absolutely correct.
The objection to this development was never about size, it was about purpose - this is quite simply inappropriate for this location.
The developer makes a comment about "quality" accommodation in this sector.
As someone who has recent experience in this sector as an Insolvency practitioner, I know that "quality" is shorthand for a weekly charge that is probably twice the rate that the local authority will support.
Under current rules, residents in nursing homes will pay the full rate if they have assets (including any equity in a home even if still occupied by a spouse) exceeding £23,000. Once the asset fall below £23,000 the local authority pick up 100% of the cost.
This puts the Local Authority in a strong position. They negotiate lower rates as a "bulk" discount. In this area of high property prices, the developers make a high return out of the equity in houses that have been lived in for c20/30 years during the initial periods of occupancy before the equity is exhausted.
This is why the developer wants a home in this location and why they want to price it at the top end of the price range.
My parents were both housed in the home on Pinewood Road in 2014. For the two of them, the charge was c£1600 per week. At the time, the Lacal Authority rate was £400 per person. The home was never more than 80% full.
To justify this development as creating a community resource is disingenuous - it is a commercial deal and should be judged accordingly. And rejected.
Geoff Ferguson
Thursday 2nd August 2018 at 1:03 pm
I agree with the above comments in that this development is not needed or wanted. One of the key issues is parking being contained within the site, now this may seem a radical suggestion to the planning department, but why not visit some similar sized care homes and see what impact staff and visitor parking has throughout the day, on the local area. We all know that public transport cannot be relied on and should not be included in any assessment, as it is highly unlikely, in the real world, that any staff or visitors would use it anyway.
Jon Williams
Thursday 2nd August 2018 at 4:55 pm
Why assume staff have cars ?
Do you know how much money Care Worker get paid - peanuts, for a very hard job