District Councillors Shoot Down Nursing Home

From the Midhurst and Petworth Observer

This story about a proposed nursing home in Nyewood, UK, shows that the same obstacles and issues surrounding elder care are present throughout the civilized world. What I found remarkable about this article was the fact that there was so much community support for the project, and yet the city planners found the project to be counter to their designs and went so far as to comment on the aesthetic devaluation of the neighborhood a nursing home would engender.

What lot of Sods!


Nyewood nursing home turned down despite strong village backing

NYEWOOD villagers have lost their fight for a 32-bedroom nursing home which was planned on the former station yard site.
Last week Chichester district councillors (CDC) threw out the plans at a special application referral meeting.

It was called because their colleagues on the north area development control committee in February defied their officers' recommendation and said they wanted to see the plan go ahead.

As this decision went against the council's planning policy it was taken to the special referral committee for a final ruling.

More than 40 villagers turned out when Harting Parish councillors held a special public meeting to hear their views earlier this year.

And members of the north area development control committee were told there was 'universal approval' for the scheme among villagers.

Applicant Bill Richardson said it would use a brownfield site, get rid of an unsightly builder's yard and enhance the whole area.

Harting and Elsted district councillor Andrew Shaxson also spoke out strongly in favour of the development.

But at the referral committee last week officers reported that 'given the remoteness of the site, the very limited nature of public transport in the area and the lack of local services and facilities, the proposal would be contrary to the aims and objectives of a range of planning policies governing sustainable development'.

They said it would also have a serious and detrimental impact on the appearance of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and would impact in an 'overbearing' and 'unneighbourly' way on nearby homes.

The committee voted to reject the plans on the grounds they would be an unsustainable form of development and would be harmful to the AONB and residential amenities.