On behalf of Barchester Health Care Ltd, AGM won an important appeal for the demolition of Wansdyke Business Centre, and the erection of a 68-bedroom care home (Class C2), with associated facilities, outdoor space, and parking in an industrial location.
The application was refused by Planning Committee but subsequently overturned by The Planning Inspectorate following the submission of a detailed appeal statement and strategy prepared by AGM.
It was successfully argued by AGM at appeal that the industrial site was in a dilapidated state with many of the units falling below the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards required by law to let. Therefore it was not fit for purpose and unviable for commercial development; this was evidenced by the lack of commercial interest for the purchase or rental of the site which was marketed for a continuous period of 12 months.
The Council were unable to show that ‘a strong economic reason exists such that the proposal should be prevented’ and accordingly the Appeal was permitted.
The provision of a new care home, in a sustainable location, is a more suitable use of the brown field site, located as it is within a residential area, and will provide considerable benefits including: specialist accommodation meeting an increasing need and economic benefits derived from the provision of approximately 68 full time jobs associated with the care home as well as during the construction period.
