Residents angered by plan to demolish estate house and build large 80-bed care home

The planned building is enormous, say neighbours
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Plans to build a large care home on a residential estate has prompted concerns from residents.

Care home development company Aspire-LPP has applied for planning permission to demolish an existing detached family house in Giffard Park and build a three storey high facility with 80 bedrooms.

Residents say the proposed building is so big, bulky and high that it would dominate the local area of two storey houses and change the character of the community and neighbourhood.

The building will be out of character on an estate of family homes, say residentsThe building will be out of character on an estate of family homes, say residents
The building will be out of character on an estate of family homes, say residents

One said: "It would be enormous, nearly 50 metres in width and even longer in length.It would back onto my house and my neighbours"

Another said: "Care homes are necessary but with the building land available on both sides of Milton Keynes one could plan a home with better views for the people in care to look upon."

A statement from a group of neighbours, submitted to the council's planning department, reads: "The site in question is located on the north-east outskirts of Milton Keynes and as such has enjoyed a semi-rural aesthetic.

"Overall, we consider that this current proposal will threaten this and represents an accelerated urbanisation of the local area. The surrounding area along Wolverton Road has undergone significant changes in the form of a large housing development (Redhouse Park), and the opening of an adjacent supermarket retail operation (Lidl) on Wolverton Road. We consider this proposed additional development to be detrimental to the local area."

Residents also fear parking problems and increased traffic from visitors' cars, ambulances, staff movements and suppliers. They are further concerned about access, saying the Redhouse roundabout is "extremely busy" and accidents are not uncommon.

The building is proposed for Lealands , which is on the Wolverton Road at Giffard Park and the developers are seeking outline consent.

Planning agents HW Planning Ltd, applying on behalf of Aspire, say the building will be a "home from home" for its occupants.

"Whilst larger than the buildings to the south and west of the site, the building sits comfortably within the plot and the wider street scene within which it will be largely screened by retained / new boundary landscaping," they said.

"Even were it to be seen it would be seen in the context of development to the north and as such it does not rely on the landscaping to make it acceptable in scale, position and form.

"Seen from outside the site, the proposal will be largely hidden by boundary screening to the east and west of the site both on this and adjacent sites. Similarly from the south the southern boundary screening will mean little if any views of the building will be obtained from either public vantage points or from adjoining gardens."