The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Permission has been granted for a new care home on the site of the former Goodfellow’s School in Spalding.
Country Court Care made adjustments to plans for a three-storey building on the Spalding Common site, reducing it from 61 bedrooms to 60 after South Holland District Council refused permission in June last year.
Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, chairman of the planning committee (pictured, left), felt the amendments did not go far enough, but fellow members voted 11-3 in favour of the scheme at a meeting on Wednesday last week.
He said: “I don’t see any particular difference between this and the previous lump that we were offered. It’s a three-storey building of significant mass and bulk completely out of keeping with everything around it.
“I am surprised the committee is comfortable with something that has lost one bedroom and retained a few trees.
“It will be overbearing and quite intimidating in ways.
“I’m disappointed at the lack of amenity space for people who will be living there.”
Coun Harry Drury (left) proposed approval, in accordance with the recommendation of planning officers, saying the applicant had gone away and listened to what the committee had said.
He added: “I am aware we have a desperate need for rooms of this sort in this area and the site at the moment doesn’t look very nice.
“I think this is going to be a lot better looking site.”
Country Court Care has previously said around 80 jobs will be created by the development.
