Ulverston care village jobs boost

A RETIREMENT village which would create 13 jobs looks set to be given the go-ahead. The private-sector-funded “extra care community” would be built on the grounds of Fairview House in Daltongate, Ulverston.

South Lakeland District Council’s planning committee is due to decide on the plans on Thursday – and planning officers have recommended approval.

The scheme would feature 40, two-bedroom apartments.

The council report for Thursday’s meeting said: “The overall concept of the scheme is to provide a ‘home for life’ by allowing people to live independently in their own home with support in the form of high levels of social and personal care.

“All the units will be connected to a nurses’ station, which will be manned 24 hours a day and have access to personal and medical care, including the provision of meals in a communal dining room if required.

“It is anticipated the allocations policy would be developed between the operator and Cumbria County Council’s Adult Social Services department.”

Councillor James Airey, the county council cabinet member for adult social care and representative for Ulverston West, backed the plan.

He said: “Throughout Cumbria we do need to encourage extra care housing and in particular in South Lakeland and Ulverston there is a severe shortage.

“Over time we need to improve the care of the elderly more and more as we live longer and healthier lifestyles into our latter years.

“I think more and more people recognise the need that elderly people want to live in a place of their own with a front door and a key and that’s a facility that’s very much needed in Ulverston. With these cuts we do need to encourage the private sector to come forward like this.”

The Highways Agency had no objections, but warned there should be no vehicle access between the site and the A590.

One public letter of concern said: “The development would generate increased traffic movements on to Daltongate, which is narrow and heavily congested with parked cars.”

Another said: “Passing spaces and a one-way system ought to be introduced on Daltongate to ease traffic movements.”

The site would have 28 parking spaces.

Another public letter said: “There appears to be insufficient parking spaces to serve the proposed development, which could result in overspill parking on Daltongate.”

SLDC has indicated there should be an affordable housing element to the scheme, but the report says the applicant had indicated that wouldn’t be possible.

The council report concluded: “Providing the detailed technical issues relating to the access, parking and surface water drainage can be adequately addressed, the scheme in principle is recommended for approval.”