PROPOSALS for a new 80-bed nursing home have been criticised by Stonehouse Town Council.

Specialist developers Redworth Construction has lodged plans with Stroud District Council to build a private nursing home on the site of the former Ryeford Hotel in Ebley Road.

However, civic leaders in Stonehouse believe the location is inappropriate for residential care due to the proximity to industrial businesses that produce noise and smells.

Councillors also considered the plans to be too big and said parking facilities in the blueprint would be inadequate for staff, residents and visitors.

A previous application for a 40-bed hotel on the site, which is now boarded up, was welcomed by the council in the hope that it would attract tourism and provide much needed overnight accommodation to the area.

Mark Branton, director of community and adult care at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "There is a developing shortfall in some forms of residential care provision in the Stroud area together with a limited number of development sites.

"In general terms we would see a new development as advantageous. However we would need to know the specific type of care provision in more detail to comment further."

Stonehouse Town Council clerk, Richard Lacey, said: "The council felt that the siting of an 80 bedroom residential care facility at this location was inappropriate due in part to the close proximity of commercial concerns.

"Near-neighbours will include a sheet metal fabricator, performance car engine builder, body repair shop, vehicle hire depot and petrol station which despite their best endeavours to operate considerately, may not make this the best location for such a facility.

"In addition to this the town council has sited seven other reasons, noted on the online planning website for Stroud District Council, for feeling that this application is not well sited."

Despite several attempts by the SNJ, Redworth Construction was unable to provide a comment on the application.