Wem care home expansion bid approved
A Wem care home is to expand after plans to create more rooms were given the go-ahead by planning chiefs.
Bosses at Landona House have won approval for the scheme to help meet the growing demand for care in the town.
The proposal was approved by Shropshire Council. A report by case officer Oliver Thomas highlighted the need for the care home to expand.
"The proposal to convert an attached residential dwelling into additional accommodation for the long established care home is considered acceptable, providing accommodation for the vulnerable and elderly," the report said.
"The site is currently at maximum capacity and is in need of additional accommodation.
"Conversion allows maximum retention of outdoor amenity space of current and future residents, whilst not being seen as overdevelopment."
A statement on behalf of the applicant Landona House Ltd said: "
This proposal re-uses an existing attached structure and will have little to no impact on the domestic residents as most of the access to the building will be from within the existing house."
The proposed expansion comes after a number of care homes in north Shropshire were forced to close, leaving residents to relocate.
Gadlas Hall Nursing Home in Dudleston Heath, near Ellesmere, closed last year after serious financial problems and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) issued notice to cancel the registration of the home – making it illegal to operate.
Prior to its closure, Legrand Nursing Home in Tilstock, near Whitchurch announced it too would close, leaving 39 employees out of work after financial struggles and recruitment issues.
Both closures came shortly after Westlands Care Home in Wem was controversially closed by managers at Coverage Care Services in March after it lost £25,000 a year for the last five years.
