Original plan for Middleton care home approved on appeal

Arun District Council turned down Frontier Estate’s application for the 66-bed facility on land off Yapton Road north of Silver Birch Drive back in February last year.

This decision was taken to appeal and a planning inspector has now overturned Arun’s decision.

In between a revised application, with the same number of beds but with a lower roof line, was approved by Arun in December.

Nexus Planning submitted the plans on behalf of Frontier Estates.

Reacting to the inspector’s decision, Adrian Kearley, senior consultant at Nexus Planning - London, says: “We’re thrilled with the result of this appeal. We’re aware there is an increasing national need for residential care homes, and in West Sussex this was particularly apparent.

“Now that Frontier Estates has two planning permissions, we’re looking forward to this scheme coming forward to help address these care needs.”

In their decision, the inspector noted the likeness between the appealed application and the approved scheme, suggesting if the appeal was dismissed ‘there is a real prospect that the care home would be implemented’.

While the proposed development would be harmful to the character and appearance of the area, the differences between the two schemes ‘would be negligible and would not justify the dismissal of the appeal scheme on the basis of any additional harm to the character and appearance of the area’.

The inspector concluded: “The proposed development would provide an important contribution to this essential housing need for some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“The development would result in the redevelopment of an under-utilised piece of land in a location which is close to an existing settlement, shops and services. It would also create a significant number of jobs. These are also factors in the scheme’s favour.

“I have found harm to the character and appearance of the area; however, the additional harm associated with the appeal scheme is only marginally more than would arise from the care home permission.”