Decision due on Hastings major care home development

On Wednesday (October 4), Hastings Borough Council’s planning committee is due to consider plans to build an 80-bedroom care home in Chapel Park Road.

The size and design of the proposed building has prompted concerns from several residents, who say the scheme would overlook neighbours and harm the character and appearance of the surrounding area.

Objectors include ward councillor Amanda Jobson (Green), who in a written statement said: “Having looked over this planning application I am concerned of the design of this plentiful building, humongous in size, [is] out of keeping with the area.”

Concerns have also been raised about the potential ecological harms of the development.

The site was formerly occupied by the Dane Court Nursing Home, but has been vacant and boarded since the building was cleared from the land in 2009. Since then, the site has become highly overgrown and also become home to a badger sett.

The badgers, a protected species, would be migrated to a new artificial sett as part of the development. This process is not covered by planning legislation, with developers needing to go through a separate process with Natural England.

Despite concerns, officers say the principle of a new care home on this site has already been established “to a certain extent”.

This is because the application follows on from the expiry of a previous planning permission to build a 90-bed care home on the same site. That scheme, granted in 2017, itself followed the expiry of an earlier planning permission granted in 2007.

These latest proposals are similar to what has previously been approved, but includes a smaller number of larger bedrooms, reflecting more up-to-date space standards.

Officers also consider the design and size to be acceptable and are recommending the committee grant planning permission.

For further information on the proposals see application reference HS/FA/22/00409 on the Hastings Borough Council website.