A new care home will be constructed in Melksham after it was approved by the planning committee with “a heavy heart" despite concerns being raised.

The 71-bed care home will be built on land at Verbena Court on the eastern outskirts of the town and will provide residential, nursing and specialist dementia care.

The Town and Parish councils objected to the plans, raising issues such as the scale of the building and the “lack of genuine need for 3 care homes in Melksham”.

However, the case officer report presented at the strategic planning committee meeting on Tuesday, June 4, recommended the proposal be approved as a contribution to healthcare services in the area.

Wiltshire Times: The home will provide residential, nursing and specialist dementia care.The home will provide residential, nursing and specialist dementia care. (Image: Harris Irwin Architects)

The application, which was submitted by Frontier Estates (San) Ltd, stated: “There is a national shortage of care facilities which is only expected to worsen over the next 15 years, this proposal provides an excellent location for a modern, high-quality care home that helps in reducing this shortfall.

“It will also utilise a brownfield site.”

During the meeting, the case officer noted that it was considered there was a “genuine need” for such facilities in the area.

The site in question had previously been earmarked for a community centre but this was modified over a decade ago when it was decided this need could be incorporated into the new Forest and Sandridge School.

The requirement for the site to be used for medical facilities was also dropped in recent years.

Cllr Mike Sankey explained that this had led to “disappointment and resentment” within the community and local councils.

Regarding the “cumulative impact” of care homes in the area, he said: “We will potentially have three separate employers vying for the same pool of employees to staff their facilities.

“On the plus side, one would hope that the principles of supply and demand would mean that care staff in Melksham would be offered enhanced terms and conditions of employment.

“The reality is that there wouldn’t be enough staff to go around and, potentially, the standard of care in all three facilities could suffer as a consequence.”

Cllr Pip Ridout said that although she had “enormous sympathy”, she couldn’t see a valid planning reason to refuse the application.

Cllr Ernie Clark added: “My heart says no, my head says yes.”

Cllr James Sheppard said: “You leave with a heavy heart sometimes, and I think today is one of those days.”

Anna Gillings, speaking on behalf of the applicant’s agent, argued: “It is a well-designed, high-quality building that responds to its surroundings."

The committee voted to approve the plans.