A BURNHAM care home has submitted revised plans to build 11 new apartments after its original bid for planning permission was rejected.
Beaufort Park's proposals to build a two-storey building for the apartments was turned down in June due to concerns about a “detrimental impact” on existing residents.
On November 27, it submitted new designs, which have been “amended to take account of the previous concerns raised by the planning officers”.
This includes reducing the “two-storey element” by moving one of the apartments to the ground floor, allowing a second staircase to be removed.
Agincare Ltd, which owns and manages the Rectory Road-based care home, hopes these changes will mean the new plans are given the green light.
The company's latest application says: “The applicant wishes to develop 11 new apartments designed for independent living for the elderly.
“The apartments will form part of an integrated campus with full managerial and caring support.
“The company is committed to ensuring that Beaufort Park offers high-quality residential accommodation for the elderly, reflecting the increasing regional and national demand.”
The newly designed building would have eight apartments on the ground floor and three on the first floor, rather than four on the first floor.
Each apartment would be self-contained and contain a double bedroom, living and dining room, kitchen and walk-in shower room.
The application adds: “The proposed site layout is based around the concept of a new landscaped courtyard garden with the new building wrapping around it along the east and southern boundaries.
“The new building is located tight to the boundaries, similar to the existing structures it replaces, with all doors and windows facing towards the new garden space.”
But Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge Town Council has objected to the proposals.
Its objections include claiming the development would be out of character with the area and neighbouring properties will be ‘overlooked and overshadowed’.
The applicant says it has addressed the concerns about the impact on neighbouring properties that saw its first plans turned down.
It also says the development would “take visual references from Beaufort House, but in a contemporary manner” that “integrates well with its local setting”.
The council also claims the development would lead to car parking overflowing onto neighbouring streets – but the application argues Agincare has taken its experiences across its centres into account and says its existing car park is under-utilised.
The next meetings of Somerset Council's Planning Committee - North will be held on January 16 and February 13.
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