Issue 452 – Plans for 60-bed nursing home approved despite town council’s objections
A PROPOSED 60-bed residential nursing home on Station Road has been given the go- ahead by Wiltshire Council.
Wiltshire Council originally refused planning permission for the development in January 2009, but have passed a revised application.
The new nursing home, at 6 Station Road opposite the police station, will replace the existing nursing home, a bungalow, garage and petrol station on the site.
The revised application was passed despite objections from Westbury Town Council because of overdevelopment and a lack of car parking provision.
Local residents had also objected on the grounds that the large building would overlook their properties and be obtrusive.
Town councillor Russell Hawker said, “The way I see it is that the town council successfully objected to the original application. We had quite serious concerns about the lack of parking, an overbearing design and so on and so on.
“This time round the proposals were clearly an improvement. At least this time the car parking design is better.
“I think what will happen here is that people will park in the doctors’ surgery while it remains, use the car park opposite in the Methodist church and there will be more pressure on the High Street car park.
“The bright side is that what is a derelict site will be put to good use.”
Several years ago the planning guidelines were changed to include a maximum number of parking spaces a development can have, replacing the previous minimum number.
The nursing home’s car park will have just 18 parking bays, plus two reserved for disabled drivers.