Green light for 66-bed care home in Sealand, creating up to 60 jobs

Up to 60 jobs could be created after plans to create 66-bed care home in Sealand were given the green light.

An application was put forward by LNT Care Developments and Crag Hill Estates in November last year to create an elderly care home on the Airfields site.

The land forms part of the Northern Gateway development where hundreds of new houses are being constructed, with land also set aside for employment purposes.

The area where the care home would be built was previously part of the RAF Sealand base and originally earmarked for small retail units.

However, plans for the site have since changed after the developers cited a change in market conditions.

The proposals were approved by Flintshire Council’s planning committee last week after a representative for LNT Care Development revealed it would create up to 60 full and part-time jobs.

Planning manager Claire Howes said it would also meet a need for more care facilities in the area.

She said: “The decision to develop a care home in this area of Flintshire is based on a detailed analysis of the existing provision of care within the area and the growing demand for elderly care provision.

“The proposed care home has been designed to be a community building which will provide support for both residents, their families and the wider community.

“The development of the care home within the southwestern corner of the plot will not restrict the potential for the district centre, retaining sufficient land to deliver the key elements including the health centre and food store.

“The design layout of the care home considers the future commercial uses on the surrounding land and ensures there will be no adverse effects on both future commercial development and care home residents.”

She added: “In conclusion, the proposed development will be a benefit to the local community, providing the best level of care for people in the later stages of life, creating a place where they can enjoy and more importantly choose to live.

“This care home would bring a much-needed care facility and employment to the area.”

Plans show the home will be built over two storeys with 66 single rooms and 30 car parking spaces.

The scheme will cater for both people with general residential needs and those requiring dementia care.

No objections were received against the application ahead of Wednesday’s (March 13, 2024) meeting.

Planning officer Claire Morter told councillors that despite proposals for the site changing, developers were still planning to create either a food store or restaurant and a health facility.

She said: “This is coming as a full application as it is a slight deviation from the approved master plan, which identified the plot a district centre.

“However, the outline consent was granted some years ago and since then market conditions have changed.

“The applicant has evidenced that actually there is less demand for the number of retail units originally proposed and therefore the plot has been subdivided.

“However, there is a commitment to provide a mid-sized food store or restaurant and healthcare facility on the remaining land.”

The proposals were unanimously approved by councillors at the end of the discussion.

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).