Planning permission has been approved for a multi-million pound development in Abergavenny to create 24 extra care bungalows for the over-55's .
Foxhunter Estates Ltd and Johnsey Estates UK Ltd applied jointly for a scheme on land at Iberis Road, Llanfoist, Abergavenny.
The developers say the scheme will allow local elderly people to remain living in their community and benefit the local economy.
The care scheme, which will create 20 new jobs, many of them highly skilled care sector positions, is for a site close to the recently-opened Foxhunters Care Community in Llanfoist.
Foxhunters Estates, a sister company of Dormy Care Communities which operates the nearby Foxhunters Care Community care home, would run the new site.
Helen Davies-Parsons, Chief Executive of Dormy Care said:
“The new development fills a need locally for this type of extra care provision. Without schemes such as ours local elderly residents would be forced to move away from Abergavenny leaving behind family, friends and their community as there currently isn't this type of accommodation available.
“This is bad not just for the well being of the local elderly but for the struggling local economy which would be deprived of their spending power which is more often used within the local community. ”
” Monmouthshire has the highest population of over 65 year olds in the whole of Gwent.
“We want to support and help maintain the wellbeing of these older people by creating communities that can support them to live independently without them having the heavy burden of property maintenance.
“Living in a close-knit community is commonplace to many older people and having good neighbours is an important factor in reducing loneliness and isolation.
“We envisage that many of the people who would purchase these properties would hail from the local community of Abergavenny and would likely have family close by. They would be able to maintain their community and family links.”
Mrs Davies-Parsons, who stressed that the scheme would also lead to the creation of ‘quality' jobs, said she had been encouraged by the ‘overwhelming positive' local community support for the project on Monmouthshire County Council's website.
The Foxhunters care home, on the adjoining Llanfoist site, was recently named as among the highest rated in Wales by online care guide, carehome.co.uk
The land, to the south of the Brewers Fayre Restaurant on Iberis Road in the village, had been set aside by the council’s Local Development Plan for industrial and business use.
The extra care housing plan, which Monmouthshire County Council planning officers recommended for refusal due to loss of allocated employment land, includes the creation of detached and semi-detached one, two and three-bedroom bungalows. The site, which overlooks the Blorenge, would also benefit from communal areas and 34 car parking spaces.
The proposed development would benefit from 24-hour emergency support and access to a range of leisure facilities already provided at the care home. This includes a cafe, bar, hair salon and treatment rooms.
