Councillors veto bigger Lochaber care home

Councillors have thrown out plans to increase the size of a proposed care home for elderly people by a third, amid claims that there had been inadequate consultation and research.

Members of Ross, Skye and Lochaber area planning committee yesterday voted six to four to reject the proposal, which it was claimed would impose unacceptable demands on existing services.

Cheshire-based Kingsgate Developments had sought consent to increase the number of bed spaces by 30 at the proposed £6million two-storey care home to be built near Fort William Health Centre at Camaghael, on the outskirts of the Lochaber capital.

The company has acquired the site from the Apollo Medical Group, which built the neighbouring health centre and last year won outline planning consent for a 60-bed private care home.

It is less than a mile away from a site at Ardgour Road, Caol, where Highland Council has plans for a 32-bed mixed-care and nursing home, which would replace the existing 24-bed facility at Invernevis House at Fort William.

Opponents, led by Lochaber councillor Donald Cameron, who said the latest application would be the biggest in the Highlands, overturned a recommendation by officials that conditional approval should be granted.

He argued that if the scheme was approved, it would place “unacceptable demands” on essential services and result in over-provision of care facilities, with more than 387 care beds available within an hour’s drive from Fort William.

Mr Cameron said the application breached a number of council policies, adding: “Because of over-provision, the proposal may have an adverse effect on the economic and social developments within the community.”

Council social work officials said the authority’s current policy was to reduce the number of admissions to care facilities by increasing care in the home.

The arguments were rejected by the company, which said the development would represent a £6million investment in the Lochaber economy and create up to 110 jobs.