St Albans care home scheme goes before planning inspector

A controversial proposal for a new care home on a major road into St Albans is to go before a planning inspector later this month.

Signature Senior Lifestyle proposed demolishing properties between 270 and 274 London Road and building a private residential care home for 81 people.

The planning application attracted numerous objections from surrounding residents which included a campaign to save the lime trees on the front of the site because of fears that although protected by preservation orders, they would not survive the construction of a large care home.

The application was called into committee by local councillor Robert Donald and was refused for several reasons including the height, bulk and scale of the building, its impact on the trees, shortage of parking spaces and strain on the existing health care services in the city.

Cllr Donald, who pointed out that there was no shortage of private care home beds in St Albans although there was a shortfall in socially-funded beds, said at the time: “The whole thing was unsustainable and it is required to be sustainable.”

Signature has now appealed against the decision and a public inquiry will be held in the district council offices at 10am on Thursday, September 24. It starts at 10am and is scheduled to last for a day.