CARE home bosses have scaled back their plans for a home in Wilmslow following opposition to the initial scheme in the hope of winning backing for the scheme.

Altrincham-based New Care has chosen Wilmslow for its latest ‘premium care facility’ after identifying what it said was the lack of quality care beds for the elderly in the area.

It submitted a planning application for an 83-bed care home off Handforth Road, but it met opposition from residents, and the company has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate in relation to the non-determination of the scheme by Cheshire East Council.

In the meantime New Care has been working with planning and highway officers at Cheshire East to come up with an acceptable scheme.

These discussions have resulted in a new planning application for a ‘new generation’ 69-bed care home, which the company will ‘soon’ submit to Cheshire East Council.

A New Care spokesman said: “New Care submitted a planning application many months ago, having undertaken extensive pre-application discussions with Cheshire East’s senior planning team, which resulted in a very positive formal response accepting the principle of the development.

“However, due to some localised objection, despite the design of this scheme being fully compliant and meticulously meeting every planning policy and guideline, a decision has not been forthcoming.

“New Care has now reluctantly submitted an appeal to the planning inspectorate for non-determination while doing its utmost to work with Cheshire East’s planning and highway team to arrive at an acceptable scheme through this new planning application.

“New Care has amended the scheme to 69 beds, a 17 per cent reduction in bed provision from the original planning application for an 83-bed care home.

“This has led to a significant reduction in the footprint of the building and a redesign of the external appearance following advice from Cheshire East’s planning department.

“The new scheme proposes a revised site entrance position as well as 26 car parking spaces, including six accessible spaces, all well screened from the road by tree retention and a significant instant mature planting scheme to further enhance the leafy setting along Handforth Road.

“New Care has amended scale, proportion and detail of roofs and windows, picking up on the 1930s character of the existing buildings to the west as directed by Cheshire East’s design officer.”

Chris McGoff, CEO at New Care, said: “It is disappointing that our proposals for a ‘new generation’ care facility located in the heart of the community, which is where we believe they should be positioned, has received local objection.

“Cheshire East has a known and well-reported shortage of quality beds and this is a problem that has been escalated by a ‘perfect storm’ which will only lead to future closures in the borough.

“With a clear demonstratable housing need for more high-quality care beds in Wilmslow, we are committed to delivering those much- needed beds and are passionate about serving the community, hence our determination to see this through the planning system.”