Plans go in for 93-bed Montgomeryshire care home

PLANS to build a complex which will house a 93 bed care home in Montgomery have been submitted. Montgomery Community Care Project Ltd (MCCP), a group of local residents, including doctors, ministers, councillors and business people, submitted the plans to Powys County Council before Christmas and registration of them took place on January 20.

The MCCP was formed in 1999 with the long-term goal of creating a caring centre in Montgomery that would fulfil the various needs in the community.

A spokesperson for the group said: “Meetings have been held with several Care Home companies, some of whom showed an interest in the project and then, for various reasons, dropped out.

“However, in 2007 we were extremely lucky to find Kelly Residential Ltd who were just what we were looking for. They were happy that the MCCP could provide a link with the community and were agreeable to us having some input into the home.

“In May 2008 it was agreed that they would become our partners and would finance the build and run the care home.”

Since the formation of MCCP they have already created a computer club, luncheon club (which caters for approximately 40 people) and Chatterbox (a group of members who meet once a month to talk about old times in Montgomery).

The clubs currently take place at various venues within the town but Kelly Residential Ltd have also agreed to an area within the care home being allocated to the MCCP.

“This arrangement will ensure the MCCP has in perpetuity an interest in the home and therefore is able to maintain the strong community link the MCCP demands of the partnership.

“To this end the MCCP has paid for the option on the plot of land behind the old Thermostats factory site and has agreed to pay solicitors costs on the purchase of a corner of this site to make a new entrance.

“We have also agreed to pay for the planning submission fee (£20,130). The other costs associated with the project have been shared between the partners eg Kelly Residential have paid for the architectural and surveying fees, and costs associated with the access land. MCCP have paid for the registration and the option to purchase the land, along with our own legal fees and those of the vendor.”