For:      Mr N Williams per Wall, James & Davies, 15-23 Hagley Road, Stourbridge, West Midlands,  DY8 1QW

To consider a planning application which has been referred to the Committee because the Northern Area Planning Sub-Committee was mindful to approve it, contrary to policy and officer recommendations.

Ward: Bromyard

The Development Control Manager reported the following updates:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

On 11^th July 2007 the following statement was received from   Diane Topham, Commissioning  Manager, Mental Health and  Sue Bennison, Operational Manager, DMHOP  in respect of the current provision of care facilities for the elderly in Herefordshire.

Current Provision

There are currently a number of homes within Herefordshire that are registered for Dementia, over 65 years of age (DE) nursing beds.  The majority of these homes are however registered for a number of categories. It is not generally appropriate that services for older people with complex psycho-behavioural disorders are integrated with other client groups in shared facilities and hence comparatively few of these places are utilised for DE provision. There are only two homes (Broomy Hill and Holmer Care Centre) that are registered purely for older people with a mental disorder.    The significance of this is that these two homes have built up a knowledge base and expertise in working with people with complex presentations characterized by psycho-behavioural disturbance.

These two homes provide 89 beds, of which 23 are block purchased and 1 spot purchased by the PCT for people assessed as meeting full NHS continuing care, and 3 for respite care.  Herefordshire Council currently spot-purchase a further 35 beds in these two homes. 

The Council is also spot-purchasing within Herefordshire a further 20 nursing placements in homes registered for DE and 39 placements in general nursing homes for people over 65 years of age with a mental disorder.

There are also 22 people currently placed out of county due to;

Ø    Lack of capacity within Herefordshire.

Ø    lack of appropriate beds in an emergency

Ø    Personal choice, e.g. no appropriate nursing homes in particular areas - people in the Ledbury or Bromyard areas choose homes in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

Ø    Personal choice – to be close to family and/or friends

Ø    Top-up issues

There is currently no provision of nursing beds registered for DE within the areas of Bromyard or Ledbury.

Total registered nursing beds, number of beds registered for Dementia, over 65 years of age (DE) in Herefordshire.

*Beds in both the homes in Leominster are dual registered for residential and nursing beds – there is no indication of total number of EMI nursing places available –total beds have been included within nursing category

**There are 265 beds registered for dementia, over 65 years of age (DE) however the majority of these beds are also registered and used by other service groups, i.e. Old age, not falling within any other category, which reduces the actual availability of DE nursing beds.

Future need

The needs analysis for older people conducted in 2006 anticipated the need for an extra 25 mental frailty nursing care placements funded by social care between 2007-2011.

Future Provision

It is anticipated that social care will provide an extra 10 nursing beds for people with dementia, over 65 years of age (DE) via their block-contracted beds in Autumn 2008. The extent to which out of County placements are influenced by current availability is not fully understood but it is likely that the needs of some of these individuals could have been better met through local provision.

Within the experience of Herefordshire mental health services, there is a shortage of residential and nursing beds for older people with complex psycho-behavioural disorders.  It is not generally appropriate that they are managed with other client groups and the potential to make better use of beds also registered for general nursing is therefore currently limited both by this and the level of demand for general nursing care places. 

OFFICER COMMENTS

The new information updates the information in the report which gave the overall picture in respect of specific current needs for “EMI” beds in the county. Whilst the new information gives more detail of the complexity if the different types of specialist care it does not identify a need for 70 EMI (i.e. the existing 30 plus the 40 new ones proposed) in or near Pencombe. Consequently there is no overriding need for this development in this location and the application proposals remain in conflict with Unitary Development Plan policy.

The Development Control Manager reported that at its meeting on the 27th June, 2007 the Northern Area Planning Sub-Committee was mindful to approve the application contrary to recommendation.  He advised that the proposal represented the provision of a new residential care facility in an open countryside location where new residential development would be unacceptable.  Its location was unsustainable by because of its remoteness from public transport facilities and services.  The applicant had failed to demonstrate that there were sufficient material planning considerations to outweigh these factors and the proposal was contrary to Policies S1, DR2 and CF7 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan 2007 and the guidance in Planning Policy Statement 7 – Sustainable Development in Rural Areas.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr Tilling an objector spoke against the application and Mr Jolly the applicant’s agent spoke in support.

One of the Local Ward Members, Councillor B Hunt felt that there was merit in the Committee undertaking a site inspection and the Committee concurred with this view.

RESOLVED:

that a site inspection be held for the following reasons:

(i)                 The character or appearance of the development itself is a       fundamental planning consideration;

(ii)               A judgement is required on visual impact; and

(iii)             The setting and surroundings are fundamental to the determination       or to the conditions being considered.