PLANS have been lodged to demolish and replace a care home in Stroud.
If approved, the proposals would see Wyatt House just off Matthews Way and Archway Gardens in Paganhill transform into a new three storey, 38 bed care home.
Wyatt House - which closed in 2019 - specialised in dementia nursing care for the elderly and was built nearly 50 years ago.
The new care home accommodation would be spread over two and a half floors with the ground level containing a small 9-bed care group, the first floor a 14-bed care group, and the second floor a 14-bed care group.
According to planning documents the applicant said: "We undertook a recent walk around and found the building to be suffering from significant water ingress and extensive mould growth, many of the roof lights have been boarded over to limit damp ingress and we suspect the building has a high asbestos content given its age.
"The electrical services are have reached the end of their useful life and any remaining internal equipment is beyond being serviceable.
"The accommodation provided falls far below that which we would consider an appropriate environment to provide care both in terms of the facilities and spatial and access standards for those using wheelchairs or requiring hoisting.
"The proposal is for a new 38 bedroom care home spread over two and a half floors of accommodation with the partial lower ground floor being cut into the slope of the site.
"The layout follows established principles to create a comfortable and private living environment for residents.
"The building will be light, bright, spacious and homely providing multiple large, well lit day-spaces for every floor alongside a café / hub facility, a hair salon, modern accessible bathing facilities, therapy and consulting rooms and a guest room for visiting friends and relatives.
"The proposal will provide appropriate sized and equipped care facilities with level access throughout and adequate space to manoeuvre wheelchairs and hoists.
"All resident bedrooms will be provided with private en-suites, will offer comfortable modern accommodation with an abundance of natural light due to large windows.
"All bedrooms exceed statutory minimum areas and will be appropriately sized to facilitate varied layouts and to allow carers to access and hoist from either side of the bed and also to allow any wheelchair users to navigate their space.
"The proposal is well located and will provide an economic benefit to the local area through the generation of new jobs associated with both the construction and operation of the new care home.
"There will also be social benefits from the proposed development through the provision of residential care allowing families to remain in close proximity to one another."
See the plans - tinyurl.com/ysuwvr6y
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