Approval Granted for New Care Home on Site of Demolished “Asbestos Riddled” Building

A proposal to construct a new 38-bed care facility on the site of an existing “asbestos riddled” structure, which is slated for demolition, has received approval, notwithstanding objections related to parking and traffic. Stroud District Council has given Exemplar Healthcare the go-ahead to redevelop Wyatt House, located in Mathews Way, Stroud. The plans involve tearing down the previous nursing home and erecting a care establishment in its place. The plans drew objections from five individuals, including Councillor Shyama Ananthan, who highlighted potential congestion issues, noting that while 45 car parking spaces are needed, only 18 are planned. During the development management committee meeting held on 22 October, Ms Ananthan stated that Mathews Way and Archway Gardens already experience “severe” parking and traffic problems. She further commented, “This proposal raises significant safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists.” She added, “Increased traffic coupled with narrow roads could block access for emergency services.” Roisin McFeely, a planning consultant, countered that residents of this specific type of care home would not typically own vehicles, and the development would offer additional parking for staff and visitors. She stated, “The new building is of a better quality and energy efficient while providing more and accessible parking and a safer environment for residents.” Councillor David Drew expressed his astonishment that the health and care trust had not been approached regarding the development. He attributed the failure of a previous community project for the building to the site’s extensive asbestos contamination, noting that its demolition would incur a cost of “£1m to pull it down”. Councillor Gary Luff mentioned his awareness of the location being a frequently used shortcut for individuals heading to Archway School and inquired about measures to safeguard children. Officials responded that this was not deemed a material planning consideration. The committee proceeded to approve the proposal, with the vote tally being ten in favour and one against.