Consensus of support for Diss care home plan

An 82-flat care home is being planned for Diss.

The development will provide “extra care” – which means that residents are supported, but live in individual flats each with their own front door.

The development – proposed by East Anglia Care Homes – is on a site in Nelson Road where consent was given in 2013 for a 76-bedroom care home.

The new application would mean the demolition of a bungalow on the corner of Nelson Road and Sawmills Road.

When the pre-application proposals were outlined to Diss Town Council’s planning committee last week, there was a consensus in support, although no decision will be taken until plans have been submitted, said deputy town clerk Sonya French.

In a report to the planning committee, town councillor Eric Taylor outlined the idea behind the extra care model:

• Residents would be above an agreed minimum age and will have been assessed as being in need of care and support.
• Residents would have an individual flat with their own kitchen and front door. Flats will be either rented or bought on a long lease.
• Generally, one meal a day and a care package is covered by a service charge but residents could remain as independent.
• Extra care is a relatively new form of housing for older people but had great advantages.
• The level of medical care needs, doctor and hospital visits was much lower for extra care residents.
• The age at which residents finally moved to full-time care was significantly higher than for other elderly people.
• Extra care schemes could support facilities and activities for residents and possibly the local community.
• Car ownership was low and a minibus was provided for residents.

Mr Taylor noted that the previous planning application mentioned a connection between Nelson Road and Station Road and that a traffic regulation order would be needed to stop parking on Nelson Road.