Nursing home company opposes care facility in Bridgnorth parking lot

Holy Cross Care Homes Ltd, which operates Bradeney House near Bridgnorth and Holy Cross Care Home in Shrewsbury, has centered its objection on plans for a 66-room care home on Smithfield Car Park around three points – the loss of places of parking, the economic damage to the city and the lack of evidence demonstrating the benefits of the project.

The planning request to develop the car park was submitted to the Shropshire Council earlier this year by LNT Care Developments.

Owned and managed by Les Jones and Jane Welsman-Jones, Holy Cross Care Homes Ltd opened its home in Shrewsbury 20 years ago and Bradeney House in Worfield in 2007.

In its objection written by lawyer Elizabeth Shield, the care home company said there were “a number” of issues that made the planning request “unacceptable”.

Ms Shield said: “The proposal does not appear to retain any of the existing parking spaces for downtown Bridgnorth and surrounding commercial development, and the loss of the existing spaces has an unacceptable impact in terms of transport and economy.

“Our client considers that the loss of parking spaces cannot be compensated for, for example, by making them available elsewhere.

“Our client remains of the opinion that the proposal, which would potentially result in the loss of all spaces for buyers and of private parking for only users of care homes, would have a negative impact that would be impossible to mitigate. in the same way. It should therefore be considered unacceptable. “

Ms Shield added that businesses would suffer from the loss of parking.

She said: “It is accepted that the care home will create jobs, but there are also social and economic damages that must be weighed in the balance, including the reduction in parking spaces which can keep people away from Bridgnorth during the busiest hours, as well as the loss of valuable commercial space in the city center and the resulting unacceptable impact on the overall character of the area.

Ms. Shield added, “Our client is unable to see how the proposed nursing home will meet an identified community need and provide invaluable community service.

“No evidence has been submitted to support either of these claims and much of the evidence seems to point to the contrary.

“Our client is not aware of any nursing home in Bridgnorth that is operating at full capacity, which directly refutes the claimant’s claims.”