Spawforths planners discuss Torsion Care Ltd’s plans for 66-bed care home on Woods Court Day Centre site in Newark before submission to Newark & Sherwood District Council

Planners behind a new care home facility has reassured the community that due care will be given to the area — and that up to 75 jobs will be created.

Last week, plans to convert the former Woods Court Day Centre, on Walker Close, into a care home facility were made public with leaflets shown to residents in the area.

The application, by Torsion Care Ltd, is set to be submitted to Newark & Sherwood District Council later this month, and is currently in pre-application discussions.

The proposal is to demolish the current two-storey building and create a three-storey 66-bed care home facility, with associated parking, cycle storage, secure garden and landscaping, and refuse facilities, as well as creating a number of full and part-time jobs.

Concerns were raised by Newark Town Council, who considered the proposals at their planning meeting on Wednesday November 27, who said that the three-story structure might not be right and that it was not in keeping with the conservation area.

Patrick Stone, of Spawforths who are planning the site, said that the new facility will be sympathetic to the surrounding area:

“The main thing to note is that the site is in a conservation area and there are many listed buildings on London Road, so we’ve had a specialist heritage consultant and we’re looking at how the character can come through.”

He added that as the development will be three stories instead of two, the foot print of the structure would be less and more trees can be retained — which would then shield the structure from view to lessen the impact on residents.

“We feel that the trees will provide adequate screening and won’t have much of an impact,” he said.

“We appreciate that the previous application was turned down refused because the trees that would have to be removed were in good condition, we’re working with the existing trees and general habitat.”

Responding to Mathew Skinner’s concerns over the new care home not being environmentally friendly, Patrick said that the model by Torsion Care was to be environmentally friendly, as solar panels would be used if possible.