Care home plan on Burnley’s outskirts could create 50 jobs

The application from LNT Care Developments seeks full planning permission for a three-storey residential and dementia care home on a site north of Ridge Avenue in the Brunshaw area.

The proposals would replace an outline housing scheme approved by Burnley Council for up to 40 dwellings and public open space.

Developers argue that the principle of development has therefore already been established on the site.

If approved, the care home would provide 66 en-suite bedrooms together with communal lounges, dining areas, a café, cinema room, hair salon, activity spaces, private dining facilities and landscaped gardens, all designed specifically for older residents.

The retirement village would have three storeys and 66 beds (Image: Burnley Council)

Planning documents state the development would create between 50 and 60 jobs, equivalent to around 50 full-time posts, ranging from care workers and nurses to catering, maintenance, administration and management staff.

The developers say the project would address a growing shortage of modern care accommodation in Burnley while also delivering significant investment into the local economy.

According to a planning needs assessment submitted with the application, Burnley currently has 885 registered care beds, but only 596 meet minimum modern market standards and just 136 are considered to meet full modern standards comparable to those proposed at Ridge Avenue.

The assessment claims the borough is already facing a shortfall of at least 171 care beds, rising to 460 beds if all existing provision is assessed against modern standards.

 Planning documents point to wider demographic pressures across Lancashire. Burnley's Strategic Housing Market Assessment forecasts the number of residents aged over 65 will increase by more than a third between 2012 and 2032, representing an additional 5,804 older people.

Developers also cite Lancashire County Council assessments which say demand for specialist dementia care is increasing and that provision across the county is struggling to keep pace.

The proposed home would provide residential care, dementia care and respite care, allowing people recovering from illness or surgery to stay for shorter periods before returning home.

Land off Ridge Avenue on the outskirts of Burnley would be used for the development (Image: Google Earth)

In a planning statement, the applicant said: "The proposed 66-bed care home would therefore make a meaningful contribution towards meeting both current and future identified needs for high-quality residential care within Burnley."

 The site occupies land to the north of Ridge Avenue on the edge of an established residential area around a mile from Burnley town centre.

The 1.46-hectare site is currently rough pasture and sits close to existing housing. The former Rowley landfill site lies to the east while the former Heasandford landfill site is located to the north.

Planning records show attempts to build on the land date back decades, with applications for individual dwellings refused in 1988 and 1990 before development was eventually accepted in principle through the approval of the 40-home outline scheme earlier this year.

LNT says it has developed more than 275 care homes across England and Wales since 1991 and operates them through its sister company, Crystal Care Collection.

The company argues that care homes also contribute to housing delivery by freeing up larger family homes occupied by older people who move into specialist accommodation.

Residents would be encourage to go outside to enjoy views over the surrounding countryside (Image: Burnley Council)

The building itself would contain around 3,092 square metres of floorspace and has been designed around a large secure residents' garden.

Plans show communal lounges positioned to maximise views across landscaped outdoor areas, with level paths, sensory planting, seating areas and accessible routes aimed at encouraging residents to spend time outdoors.

The development would be served by 30 parking spaces, including disabled bays and six electric vehicle charging points, together with ambulance drop-off facilities, motorcycle parking and covered cycle storage.

Access would be taken from an upgraded version of the existing entrance on Ridge Avenue.

Planning documents state that only around 24 staff would typically be present on site at any one time because of shift patterns, helping to limit traffic generation.

The developers also place significant emphasis on sustainability measures.

The building would use ground-source heat pumps, roof-mounted solar panels and battery storage technology. Planning documents claim up to 80% of the facility's energy requirements could be generated from renewable sources.

The flat-roof design has been chosen partly to maximise solar panel coverage while reducing the building's overall height.

Existing trees and hedgerows would largely be retained, with substantial additional planting proposed around the site.

The application says only two trees would need to be removed and that biodiversity enhancements would be delivered through new landscaping and off-site biodiversity credits.

Developers maintain the scheme would not adversely affect neighbouring properties. The care home would sit more than 40 metres from nearby Ridge Cottage, with tree planting and landscaping intended to provide screening.

They also note that no listed buildings, conservation areas or designated heritage assets would be directly affected by the proposal.

LNT has told Burnley Council it hopes to deliver the project within 16 months of planning permission being granted.