A 64-bed care home and 24 assisted living units are the basis of a proposed planning application for Wiltshire Council’s old depot site on the Salisbury Road, Marlborough, where Sainsbury’s launched an abortive bid to build a supermarket.
Planning consultants Hunter Page are giving residents in the area the opportunity to see the proposals at a consultation exhibition being staged at Marlborough Town Hall on Thursday, from 3pm to 7.30pm.
Concern that as yet nobody knew exactly what is being considered for the site resulted in planning consultant Giles Brockbank revealing to basic details today (Tuesday) to Marlborough News Online, which is advertising the consultation exercise event.
Town councillors at last night’s Planning Committee meeting complained that even they had not been given advance information and Councillor Peggy Dow feared that there might be a “traffic nightmare” situation in view of Wiltshire Council’s current road restriction plans for Salisbury Road.
But Mr Brockbank pointed out that there would be parking on the site for residents and visiting staff and added: “Generally speaking, people taking the assisted living units drive a lot less than normal so I think we can allay those fears over the traffic generated from the site.”
He pointed out: “Thursday’s consultation is to show a potential layout for people to look at and comment on and also give them some potential elevations to provide a flavour of what is being proposed.
“We are looking at the moment in the region of a 64-bed care home, which is for general care and dementia care, associated with 24 assisted living units, which are connected to the care home but nothing has been finalised yet.
“So they are a care use available for those living there who don’t need round-the-clock attention.”
The proposed development would fit in with the vernacular design for the area and be only two-storeys high. “The site is very secluded from public view but we feel anything higher than two-storeys wouldn’t be appropriate there,” he said.
Hunter Page have planned care homes in Bradford-upon-Avon and in Cheltenham for care home companies behind the scheme.
But Councillor Nick Fogg, who is one of Marlborough’s two representatives on Wiltshire Council, the planning authority, is not enamoured with the project.
“I’m alarmed by the prospect of yet another care home and more sheltered accommodation in Marlborough,” he told Marlborough News Online. “I’ve nothing against them per se. Obviously they do a needed job, but we already have rather a lot of such facilities.
“The original plan for the site was to build living and workshop units as well as a supermarket. What’s happened to that? It would have increased the vibrancy of the community and given an opportunity to people to start their own businesses.”
