Newark and Sherwood District Council approve plans for mental health care facility expansion at Rainworth

Plans to expand a mental health care facility creating more than 100 jobs have been passed.

Newark and Sherwood District Council's planning committee approved the scheme for the centre.

Concerns were raised there was a significant unmet mental health need in Nottinghamshire.

Cygnet Healthcare ­— which provides services such as mental health rehabilitation and recovery ­— wanted to expand its existing facilities in Rainworth.

The company submitted a planning application to expand its Sherwood Lodge unit at Rufford Colliery Lane, creating a purpose-built 44-bed mental health unit around a central courtyard.

The layout of the building is over two storeys, with two wards and accommodation located on the ground floor.

There will also be 42 car parking spaces, including three disabled spaces.

Rainworth Parish Council objected to the plans, saying the volume of patients would take the combined total of beds on the site to more than 100.

The parish council also said it would impact on GP surgeries and dentists in the village, which were overstretched.

Planning officers at Newark and Sherwood District Council told the committee the proposal would provide in the region of 137 full-time jobs, which is “a significant level of employment in this location”.

They said “Nottingham specifically has been identified as one of the areas with consistently high rates of inappropriate out of area placements.

Between November 1 and November 30, 2021, of 110 placements made within the Midlands area, 105 of these placements were classed as inappropriate.

Yvonne Woodward (Lab) who represents Rainworth South and Blidworth, said: “It is the most wonderful place for people that are confused, upset, and have mental health problems.

“I can’t see why anyone would want to object to this. A lot of people in Rainworth work there and it would provide more jobs. I don’t normally disagree with parish councils but on this I do.”

Another committee member, Laurence Goff, also said the development would bring more jobs to the area.

He added: “Where are these people going to go if they don’t get this facility? I feel it is something that needs to be done. It is in the public interest that these people are safe.”

Linda Dales added: “I fully support this application. Nottinghamshire has a significant unmet mental health support need. I can see the value of having all the units together and I can’t see any reason to oppose it.”