Should care home move to larger premises?

Members of Rother planning committee were considering last Thursday an application for demolition of a summerhouse at the rear of the Woodville Road property and construction of a two-storey bedroom extension and single-storey communal link plus two additions to the first floor front.

Planning officers had recommended refusal, saying that the mass, scale, height and design of the proposed two-storey extension would overshadow neighbouring property and appear overbearing.

Cllr Joy Hughes is not a planning committee member but sought leave to speak.

"It is on my 'patch' and I know it well. My father was a resident of the home and was very well cared for.

"I do know that the care they have is exceptional, really exceptional.

"The people who live there are sedentary and they don't get out much and they don't have visitors often.

"The main reason you are going for refusal is the second storey. I do wish myself that they hadn't gone for that.

"Many of the people in their have no relatives and no one going to see them."

Chief planning officer Frank Rallings said: "We are making a planning decision here. I fully appreciate what Cllr Hughes has said. But we are making a decision on planning grounds and planning grounds alone."

Cllr Brian Kentfield said the home had been developed since 1988.

"A second story construction there is totally wrong.

"It is a commercial operation which is providing a service and it has outgrown the property. To develop that structure would destroy the amenities of other people.

"Commercial operations should look at the facts realistically and say 'We cannot do more here., We must look for other accommodation if we wish to expand. Full stop.'"