Care home plans to replace factory and create 65 jobs

Under plans lodged with Shropshire Council, the facility is set to be built following the demolition of the former Guttercrest premises, next to the Lidl supermarket in Victora Road.

The applicant, Care Developments (Oswestry) Ltd, says the scheme will create 65 full-time jobs and help to meet local demand, after identifying a shortage of around 220 nursing care beds in the Oswestry area.

The proposals include 80 en-suite rooms, communal areas, staff facilities, 30 parking spaces and landscaped gardens.

Around-the-clock care will be provided as well as specialist end of life and dementia care.

A statement submitted with the application says: “This full planning application proposes the development of a high quality, purpose- built, nursing care home to meet the needs of the more intensive care required for the most frail elderly residents, including dementia care.

“This accommodation will comprise the most up to date, modern facilities, with every bedroom benefitting from en-suite facilities.

“This development is not speculative and has been designed specifically to meet the specifications of an established regional care home operator.

“Moreover, the applicant has extensive experience over the past 15 years in the provision of care homes, in identifying suitable sites for care use and in the specific design, development and delivery of such care homes.”

The statement says the factory building is “at the end of its economic life and is due for redevelopment”, and that a care home would be more in-keeping with the site’s surroundings as well as reducing noise and disturbance to nearby residents.

It says the home will “exceed all modern care standards”, with spacious rooms and extensive communal facilities including a hair salon, cafe and library.

Shropshire Council will decide the application in due course.

The authority has confirmed in its pre-application advice to the applicant that the development “is acceptable in principle in this location”.