Decision time looms for new care home

Proposals for a 93 bedroom residential care home have been lodged for land at Merlin Way on Bishop Cuthbert in Hartlepool.

Permission is due to be decided when Hartlepool council’s planning committee next meets on Wednesday.

The agent for applicant Raj Singh, from Stockton, has stated the home expects to provide general residential care, dementia residential, general nursing, and dementia nursing.

Meeting papers say a ward councillor is supporting the new home saying it is needed and would create jobs.

But 13 separate objections have been lodged by local residents on grounds of increased traffic, poor access and visibility due to being on a bend, and believe it would be out of character with the area.

They are also worried about disruption during construction and say existing empty care homes should be re-opened rather than building new ones.

The home, proposed by the Prestige Group, would be two to three storeys high due to the sloping nature of the land.

Each floor will planned to include day rooms with a main dining room, kitchen and laundry at ground level.

Other facilities include a hairdressers and cinema room.

The company previously told the Mail it has a proven track record of delivering luxury high-spec purpose built care facilities and say the Merlin Way project will create at least 100 jobs.

The council’s traffic and transport team says the proposed access points and car parking provision are acceptable.

An officer’s report adds: “The proposed separation distances between the two storey dwellings and the three storey element of the care home building will measure some 39 metres which is well in excess of the minimum separation requirements.”

A condition is recommended to limit the hours for building work to protect residents from disruption.