Babergh District Council to issue decision on controversial 28-bed care and respite centre at Holton Hall Farm
A decision is due on controversial plans for a new 28-bed care and respite centre in a village.
APT Holdings Limited brought the bid forward for a new community care, rehabilitation and respite centre in Hadleigh Road, Holton St Mary.
Members of Babergh's planning committee are due to meet tomorrow morning for a decision.
The 2.24-hectare site at Holton Hall Farm currently hosts 10 caravans serving seasonal workers in the agricultural business at Holton Park — if approved, these would be moved to the rear of the site.
According to the company, the proposals would create 80 new jobs, 55 of which full-time, as well as address demand for the services.
A statement of need from the company read: "Regional hospitals such as Ipswich, Colchester, and West Suffolk face significant challenges with patient flow due to the chronic shortage of community rehabilitation beds.
"The proposed Holton Rehabilitation Park addresses a critical gap in the local healthcare infrastructure by offering much-needed rehabilitation and pre-habilitation services for the elderly and frail populations in Suffolk and North Essex."
The company promised to provide the service to the local community first where there was demand.
Planning officers have recognised the potential positive impact of the plans and have recommended them for approval.
Locally, however, the plans proved controversial, with objections submitted by 30 residents as well as Holton Parish Council.
The objections raised a range of concerns including the location, light and noise pollution, and traffic.
Addressing these, planning officers said although the village did not have much variety of services and facilities, the users of the facility would not need to use them as the care facility would provide everything they needed.
On traffic, officers acknowledged the likelihood that a large proportion of staff and visitors would use cars but concluded the benefits outweighed the impacts.
