£1.5million disability centre approved in Devon

ADULTS with disabilities will be able to benefit from a new £1.5million purpose built facility after planning councillors gave the project the thumbs-up.

Devon County councillors agreed to turn the existing building on the Rushbrook site in Totnes into a new state-of-the-art facility for adults with learning physical and sensory disabilities.

The existing building on the site will be demolished and replaced with a new single-storey building incorporating a ‘changing places’ facility and community facilities.

Cllr Paula Black for Totnes said: “It is good to see the site being redeveloped for the people in and around Totnes. This facility is very much needed and will provide a good resource for our community.”

Plans will include a specialist day service with support for families and carers, an assessment service, and facilities for social care professionals to support adults and their families.

There will also be a wide range of outreach facilities into the community, and the opportunity for youth and carers support groups to use the building at evenings and weekends.

Subject to planning consents and a tendering process, it is hoped the building work will be completed late next year.

The authority currently provides support across two sites in Totnes, The Boat Shed and Parkers Barn, but neither site fully meets people’s needs.

The new facility will enable many more people with complex disabilities to be supported and also provide the facilities needed to support, assess and enable others.

Cllr Stuart Barker, cabinet member for adult social care said: “Rushbrook is perfectly situated in the town for the relocation of the services.

“We continue to improve the community services for adults with learning and physical disabilities, and this new flagship development will be the cornerstone to ensuring the services will meet the future needs of Totnes and the surrounding areas.”