‘Specialist and extra care facility’ plans for Wrexham nursing home set for approval

Plans for a new specialist and extra care facility at a Wrexham nursing home could be soon be given the go ahead.

Members of Wrexham Council’s planning committee will be asked to approve the application at Pendine Park on Summerhill Road when they meet next week.

The home provides living accommodation for nearly 250 residents with a range of “medical conditions and nursing care requirements, including brain injury, dementia, physical impairment and mental illness.”

However in plans submitted to Wrexham Council earlier this year, it was noted by the applicant’s that to meet to growing demand of an ageing population the appropriate services are required to meet their needs.

As part of the proposals the new development is intended to “provide accommodation for somewhere around 40-50 bed-spaces along with treatment rooms, lounges, kitchens, washing, storage, offices and training” within the footprint of the nursing home site.

The applicant’s also explained that the additional services at the proposed new facility would include critical injury care and recovery, brain damage care and recovery, rehabilitation, return to home pathway training; specialist staff training in real time, administrative and research facilities, behavioural treatment and assistance and other wide-ranging but specialised residential care facilities.

But a series of objections have been submitted by the local community council, which states that it is “concerned about the effect of the development on the character of the area and considers the application to be contrary to policies put in place by the Local Planning Authority to protect green wedge land.”

The community council adds: “The development may lead to a significant impact upon road safety.

“The Nursing Home employs over 500 staff, many of whom, it is understood, walk to and from work along Summerhill Road which is an unlit highway and devoid of footpaths between Griffiths Road and Highfield Road.

“This factor, coupled with the fact that speeding on Summerhill Road is giving much cause for concern, poses major highway safety concerns which cannot be overstated. Cuts to local bus services will leave many employees no alternative but to continue to walk to and from work.

“The development will result in the loss of trees that provide significant amenity value to the local environment.

“If the LPA decides to grant, it should impose a requirement to provide a substantial Section 106 commitment to help deal with the road safety issues.”

Addressing the community council’s concerns, the chief officer planning & regulatory, Lawrence Isted, states that whilst the site is located outside of any defined settlement limit he is satisfied that the location of the development, contrary to policy PS1 can be justified.

He continues onto say: “The proposed development would clearly be seen as a new building but would complement an existing well established facility. This facility provides for a significant level of care provision within the County Borough for a number of service providers such as the NHS and other local authorities.

“The service provision offered clearly results in a significant level of employment – the applicant stating that at the Pendine Park site itself there are approximately 500 members of staff. I have no reason to dispute this figure.

“As mentioned above, I am entirely satisfied that the development of land within the curtilage of Pendine Park would not have a detrimental visual impact upon the wider open countryside due to its enclosure within its own grounds.

“The character of the surrounding land and the feeling of openness when experienced from Wrexham town and Summerhill settlements would not be eroded.

“The site is effectively equidistance between these settlements with 0.5km separation to the north west and south east. The risk of settlement coalescence, issues of encroachment and erosion of the urban edges will not be experienced in this instance.”

The application will be considered for approval by planning committee members on Monday June 3rd at 4pm. The meeting will also be webcast live on the Wrexham Council website.