U-turn on care home plans

1:00pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

WALLINGFORD town councillors have done a U-turn on plans for a 28-bed care home in Charter Way.

They opposed plans for it and for a 42-bed care home on the same site earlier this year.

But they have changed their minds after new evidence was presented, which said that a new care home in the area is urgently needed, as the number of elderly people increases. At previous meetings, they said they felt Charter Way was not the right place because there was a lack of parking, and it would disrupt a residential area.

The district council turned down the plan by developers St Mirren (Wallingford) Homes on July 9, and the developers appealed against the decision. No date has yet been fixed for a hearing.

The agent for the developers, Nigel Moor told the town council that the number of people aged 85-plus is projected to increase by 60 per cent by 2026.

Town clerk, Andrew Rogers, said: "The council felt the evidence for a new care home in the immediate area was overwhelming, and decided to withdraw any objections it had previously."