New Care Home Gets Green Light

A new care home off West Common Road has been approved by the planning inspector after a successful appeal by the operators.

The plans are for a 60 bed facility on the old Hayes Common Bowls Club site behind Burton Pynsent House. The proposals were originally refused by the council who were concerned about the loss of Urban Open Space and highways issues among other factors. However the inspector last week overruled the decision.

The plans also include a new base for CASPA, a local charity working with autistic children, young people and their families.

It is not clear what impact the decision may have on separate plans, by another operator, for a care home on the old ‘Stevensons Heating’ site also in West Common Road. though in their submissions the operators of the appealed scheme cited a significant shortfall in care home beds over the next ten years.

New Plans for Former Stevenson Heating Site

A care home operator has come forward with plans to develop the former Stevenson’s Heating site in West Common Road.

Previous proposals in 2018 for retirement housing on the plot had eventually been granted planning permission last Spring for a 28 apartment sheltered housing scheme (reduced to 25 units a few months later). Unfortunately in the wake of the pandemic the plans could not progress.

The new scheme, which is very similar in design to its 2018 predecessor, now envisages a 50 bed care home. Residents can comment on the plans here.