Care home plan to create 80 jobs
PLANS for a £6 million 60-bedroom care home on a prominent site in Diss have been revealed.
The care home, which will create 80 jobs, would be built at the former Cartco Transport Depot on Victoria Road at the Sawmills Road junction, a site which was previously given outline planning permission for a small housing estate.
The pre-application plans were presented by developer Castle Oak to Diss Town Council on Wednesday evening following a public consultation at Diss Golf Club during the day.
Stephen Rickard, head of planning for Castle Oak, said a planning application would be submitted by the end of the month.
“We are at the stage of getting comments from the people of Diss to take us from where we are now to submitting a final application,” he said. “We realise that it is a landmark site on the way into Diss that is quite prominent, so we wanted to do something that fits in with the location, particularly a fronting that meets the vernacular of Diss.
“We only develop sites where there is an identifiable need for care accommodation and we will maintain a long term interest in the site.”
The two-storey care home will be split into units of 15 beds, and each unit will have its own lounge and dining room. There will be a reception, access to the south facing gardens, a cinema room, reading room and on-site parking.
Stuart Cross, deputy chief executive of Greensleeves Homes Trust, which will be managing the care home, said it would be built with dementia care in mind. He added that the development would create both full-time and part-time jobs, including work as carers, nurses, kitchen staff and in maintenance.
Speaking after the presentation, Diss mayor Graham Minshull said he was still concerned, as with the previous application for homes, about the flooding risk on the site, but added that it was an interesting scheme for the town.
He said: “There were some concerns raised (by councillors), one about flooding and one about car parking issues, but we are talking about 80 much-needed jobs for the town and that is very positive.”
Mr Rickard said an investigation was being carried out into flood prevention.
Diss residents Maurice and Olive Jenness gave their backing to the scheme.
Mr Jenness, said: “I think it will be an excellent place for a care home. People can walk there if they have relatives living in Diss or people can drive there from the neighbouring villages. I’m 100 per cent behind it.”
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Weather for Diss
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 12 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
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Thunderstorm
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