Octopus Healthcare Development Ltd is seeking to have the new care home built on currently vacant land off Chester Road in Helsby, where Helsby Community Sports Club used to be.
A proposed illustrative plan for what the new 75-bed care home could look like in Helsby. Source: Planning document.
Planning consultants WSP, on behalf of the developers, said in planning documents submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council that the proposed development would include 75 care beds, plus associated parking and landscaping, and would be run by independent care home operator Sandstone Care Group.
Access would be via the Lane End development off Chester Road, and would be accompanied by new-build residential housing to the south and west, allowing for developmental work.
The brownfield land site has not been in use since March 2020, when it was last used as a car park. While a proposal for 241 dwellings and apartments was approved for the site as part of a larger proposal in December 2021.
The applicants state: “The dwelling houses approved…will be delivered by Lane End Developments/Onward Homes, however the approved apartments will not be brought forward on this application site.
“Rather, the applicant is now seeking consent for the construction of a care home on this land, instead of apartments.”
The new care home, to compromise 75 bedrooms (including bariatric rooms) over three stores, would “create 50 full-time and 50 part-time jobs”.
A proposed illustrative plan for what the new 75-bed care home could look like in Helsby. Source: Planning document.
Landscape gardens, balconies and terraces would be featured, including a private garden for bariatric patients.
Internally, the design would be dementia-friendly, with conventional, short corridors, good seating areas, increased internal lighting and increased ventilation, with maximum natural daylight admittance.
A bariatric wing would feature six bedrooms.
The proposed car park would feature one ambulance/drop-off bay, 29 car parking spaces including three disabled parking spaces and four electric vehicle charging points. Cycle parking would be provided for six bikes.
The care home would provide 24-hour nursing, specialist dementia and specialist bariatric care for residents with a range of complex needs. The residents in the care home will have reached a stage where they cannot safely live in their own homes or are unable to get the correct type of care in hospital.
The plans had been tweaked following consultation and feedback from Helsby Parish Council and local residents. These included revised landscaping and a repositioning of the care home to improve the relationship to adjacent properties.
Previous consent for development on the site secured a payment from the landowner of £899,524, to the council, to improve health care facilities at Helsby Health centre, Elton Surgery and The Knoll Surgery, Princeway Health Centre.