Supported living apartments plans for former Wellington pub
A former pub which has been left empty for four years could be converted into supported living apartments, under plans submitted to a council.
Plans have been submitted to convert The Lion in Wellington into 10 assisted living apartments.
Construction company BuildFifty5 Living Ltd has submitted the plans to Telford & Wrekin Council for the Whitchurch Road site – including staff accommodation, giving them the ability to extend support to residents 24 hours a day.
Plans also include a staff office, residents’ laundry facilities, parking, refuse store and a garden open area, which will be landscaped.
A registered provider would assess the needs of each resident and provide support for a minimum period of 9am to 5pm five days per week, which could be increased to 24 hours a day if necessary.
A design and access statement submitted with the plans says: “To enable the maximum independence of the tenants, the care and support provider will provide a range of support services to individuals such as help to maintain their tenancy, money management, bill payment, attending social activities, shopping as well as personal care.”
The scheme is designed for supported housing provided for a ‘limited period of time’.
An extension would involve a single storey building to the rear of the pub, which would accommodate one of the apartments.
If plans are approved the construction is planned to take 10 months and would provide employment for the construction and management company based within the Telford area.
The proposed supported living homes would also provide employment and the applicant says residents would also contribute to the local economy.
It is unknown when the Red Lion was built, but it was first mentioned in the 1841 Census.
A planning and affordable housing statement prepared for Buildfifty5 Transitional Living Limited said that the building would be ‘sensitively converted and extended’.
“This scheme offers the opportunity to bring a redundant and derelict brownfield site that has been upkept for approximately four years back into full viable use and hence unlock its full potential in light of its sustainable and prominent location,” says the statement.
“Overall, the physical changes to the buildings are considered to be well-designed and proportionate. Whilst there will clearly be a degree of change to their interiors, such change, in the context of the already much-altered internal spaces, is not considered to equate to harm – substantial or less than substantial.”
Developers added that the on-site staff would be responsible for the ‘general welfare’ of each resident and as part of their remit ‘social interaction’ would be high on their agenda.
Plans state that a housing provider would manage the buildings and carry out repair and maintenance, while a care and support provider would support the tenants.
“The proposal will result in much needed restoration/refurbishment works to the building, secure on-going maintenance investment, and consequently safeguard its long-term future,” said the planning statement.
“Moreover, the proposal will promote public interest in the building, as the end users of the accommodation will be able to use and appreciate the significance of the building.
“Considering the cumulative effect of the aforementioned effects, this will enhance the value of the Wellington Conservation Area due to the positive contribution the development will have upon the local streetscape.”
