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Saturday 20 October 2018

Proposals for sheltered housing for the elderly in Sidford > third planning application submitted

An application for a retirement housing complex in Sidford has been rejected - twice, the last one being in May this year:
Futures Forum: Proposals for sheltered housing for the elderly in Sidford > refused as it still did not include ‘an adequate amount of affordable housing’ or a ‘provision of an overage clause’.

The District Council has pushed each time for affordable housing at Sidford - although it has not pushed the same criteria at Knowle:
Futures Forum: A tale of two developments > affordable housing in Sidford ... but not at Knowle
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project >>> and comparisons with other proposals for sheltered housing for the elderly in Sidford >>> A planning officer recommended the application be refused as it still did not include ‘an adequate amount of affordable housing’ or a ‘provision of an overage clause’.

Meanwhile, builders of retirement housing complexes have been having a few problems:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: and retirement home developers in trouble

And they have been trying to extricate themselves from these problems:
Futures Forum: Sidford: and developers lobbying to exempt retirement complexes from affordable housing obligations

And so we have the third planning application:
Renewed bid to develop Sidford’s Green Close site submitted | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald

The Express & Echo reports this weekend:

Third bid submitted to turn former care home into retirement apartments

Two previous plans for the former Green Close care home in Sidford have been rejected


Daniel Clark

Local Democracy Reporter
18:22, 19 OCT 2018

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FORMER GREEN CLOSE CARE HOME

A third bid to demolish a former care home and replace it with retirement apartments has been revealed.

A planning inspector in 2017 rejected Churchill Retirement Living’s plans to revamp the closed 23-bed former Green Close care home in Drakes Avenue in Sidford, while a revised scheme was rejected by East Devon District Council planners in May as its affordable housing offer was not policy compliant.


Now, a new application, that would see the care home demolished and replaced with 40 retirement apartments for older persons including communal facilities, access, car parking and landscaping, has been submitted to planners.



Former Green Close care home in Drakes Avenue, Sidford (Image: Daniel Clark)

Documents submitted with the application say: “The proposed development is an excellent opportunity to provide the redevelopment of an underutilised site within Sidford and would make better use of a previously developed site in a sustainable location.

“It would provide much needed housing for older people in an attractive and safe environment and provide accommodation within the area, further adding to the vitality and vibrancy of the area. The proposal would contribute to the council meeting their housing policy objectives in respect of delivery private retirement housing.”



Former Green Close care home in Drakes Avenue, Sidford (Image: Daniel Clark)

The previous scheme was rejected as its affordable housing offer was not policy compliant, but the documents says: “Current policy acknowledges that an off-site contribution, provided as a commuted sum, is an acceptable method of achieving an affordable housing contribution and the affordable housing need is better met through this sum that can be directed to priority needs identified elsewhere in the district.

“The commuted sum should be directly related to the development and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development, and the council’s proposed method for calculating it meets neither of these criteria. The sum that meets the National Planning Policy Framework is based on the developer subsidy that would have applied had the affordable housing been achieved on site. This amounts to £346,663 and is the maximum amount that the council should request.”


The previously rejected plans included an off-site contribution of £423,576, but no provision for on-site affordable housing.




Former Green Close care home in Drakes Avenue, Sidford (Image: Daniel Clark)

READ MORE
Bid to demolish former council care home and build retirement flats refused


The Green Close care home was built in 1971 but closed in 2014 after Devon County Council cutbacks.

East Devon District Council planners will determine the fate of the application at a later date.


Third bid submitted to turn former care home into retirement apartments - Devon Live
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