Residents speak out over care home plans

People living close to the site of the former Ruskar Care Home on Park Avenue, Wolverhampton, have expressed their concerns to councillors over the plans.

They claim the changes could see the site become a hotspot for anti-social behaviour in what they call a quiet residential area.

The home closed in August this year following an inspection report from regulator the Care Quality Commission, which deemed it as 'requiring improvement.'

Since then, a city councillor has claimed that plans to change the site into a 40-bed student accommodation block is not the right development for the area.

Speaking of the plans, Councillor Craig Collingswood, Labour councillor for Park ward, said: "Constituents have contacted me to object to this planning application for conversion of this form care home to a 40 bed student accommodation.

"Local residents are worried that this is an unsuitable change of use in a conservation area from a quiet care home establishment to a building populated with students who could bring anti social behaviour problems such as noise nuisance issues and littering.

"Also residents are worried about the increased amount of traffic and parking problems that may arise.

"I think it's important that residents are listened to and that they are encouraged to have their say on this development before it's too late."

Residents are advised to submit their opinions of the application online via the council’s website or in writing to the planning department.