New 66-bed Whitby care home could be on way after first set of plans refused

LNT Care Developments has lodged plans with Scarborough Council for the 66 bedroom development at Sneaton Castle, which will see more than 240 new homes built when it is completed.

The extra care facility for elderly people was part of the original plans for the site that were given outline approval in 2016.

In 2019, the borough council planning committee went against their officers’ advice and threw out plans for a three-storey building, saying it would “stand out like a sore thumb” on the site.

On Thursday July 1, revised plans will go back before the planning committee with officers once again recommending approval.

A report prepared for the councillors expands on what the care home would offer.

It states: "The applicant has advised that the proposed development would be configured in a way that enables the care home to provide for two types of care – general residential and residential dementia.

"Its plan layout and internal arrangement, allows the home to be split into the separate care requirements.

“In addition, a secure landscaped garden area would provide the main external amenity space for the respective elements of care.

“The applicant for this proposal is aware of the concerns raised in relation to the three-storey scheme refused in 2019 and is seeking consent for a two-storey care home, as previously permitted on the site in outline.

“In addition to the reduction in height, the scheme has a frontage length to Castle Road of some 55 metres, which is a 35% reduction in relation to the refused extra care scheme, which had a frontage of 84.5 metre, the majority of which was three storey in height.

“The scale of the development is much reduced overall, with 66 bedrooms now proposed in place of 65 individual flats.”

The applicant says the scheme would create 58 jobs and has agreed to make a Section 106 contribution of more than £11,000 requested by North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group to fund healthcare improvements in the area.

Twenty-three parking spaces would be provided and for residents of the home, additional amenities are proposed within the building itself, including a small shop, a hair salon, a clinic room, two garden rooms and a cinema.

Whitby Town Council and nine members of the public have objected to the scheme.

The town council has concerns about the access to the site and the lack of bus service to the area.

The objectors say that while there is “no objection to a care home per se” there are “major concerns” about the access to the site, traffic, the size of the development and its impact on people living nearby, the lack of parking and the strain it would put on local services, such as GP practices.

The planning report states that North Yorkshire County Council Highways has not objected to the plans.

It adds: “The trip generation from the development is expected to be relatively low, perhaps up to 10 trips, during the morning peak hour.

"It is also noted that many staff start and finish times may also be outside typical peak hours on the local road network.

“The access will have sufficient capacity for the expected traffic movements and therefore the access arrangements are considered acceptable to serve the proposed development.

“The level of parking demand has been determined by assessing usage at other similar developments and is considered appropriate.”

Councillors will vote on the scheme when they meet on July 1.