The development site
Plans for a 107-bed care home for the elderly off Harolds Way in Hanham are being recommended for approval on Thursday despite a barrage of opposition.
South Gloucestershire Council’s Development Control (East) Committee will be considering Springfield Pension Fund’s outline application which has been referred to the committee by local councillor John Goddard on access and safety grounds in the narrow approaches to Harolds Way.
He also felt that due to the considerable number of objections, a decision should be taken in public by elected members.
In 2012, the Springfield Pension Fund lost an appeal, having had planning permission refused by the council for a care home on the overgrown land running from Magpie Bottom to Harolds Way and next to the Tabernacle Church.
At the end of last year it submitted a revised scheme for a 107-bed care centre in two buildings. The main building of the proposed care home would be an extension of Harolds Way. Another building would front Hanham High Street.
Issues that led to the scheme being rejected have now been addressed, say planning officers. In the previous application, part of the development was only set two metres back from the High Street but now the proposal is to set it five metres back.
In total more than 70 objections have been received from local residents as well as councillors and Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore. It is the continued proposal for vehicle access via the cul-de-sac in Harolds Way which has most angered locals and it is also felt that the parking situation on residential streets in Hanham has deteriorated noticeably since the Community Centre restricted parking there.
But planning chiefs consider this latest scheme provides adequate onsite car parking provision and would not increase on-street parking. They say that Harolds Way is an established estate road with adequate capacity to cope with the proposed traffic generation.
Thursday’s meeting is at Kingswood Civic Centre at 3pm. The recommendation to the committee is that authority be delegated to officers to grant outline planning consent, subject to conditions.
