A 72-bed care home in the south of Middlesbrough has been given approval.
Middlesbrough Council planning officers green lit the plans, registered at the end of 2024, which will enable construction of the three storey building, although 24 conditions will have to be met as part of the ongoing development process.
The care home will be located off of Cropton Way, next to Tesco in Coulby Newham. Associated parking and other works have also been approved by the council. The building is set to host 72 bedrooms and a car
park will have 25 spaces, as has been reported.
Lots of trees on site are set for the chop as part of the plans, but it is expected that new ones will be planted. There are sizeable employment opportunities as part of the now-approved plans, with council officers deeming the proposals to be fully in accordance with both local and national planning policies.
There were a total of 27 neighbour consultations, which resulted in one letter of support, one representation, and zero objections. The plans were not subject to any objections from council stakeholders (such as the highways department) or external stakeholders (including Northumbrian Water), subject to conditions being met.
Concluding remarks from officers describe the proposals as “high quality” and “sustainable”, adding that the development will assist economic growth in the town and provide a “necessary” care facility in south Middlesbrough.
Documents submitted as part of the application process explained that the building would host 72 bedrooms across three floors, with dining areas and other communal spaces on each floor. There would also be significant employment opportunities, with 50 full time employees and the creation of 25 part time jobs.
The proposed floor plans said: “2.1 metre wide corridors have been allowed for ease of circulation around the building, with two lifts provided off the corridors. The two lifts are located either side of the central communal spaces within the residential wings. These provide access to all floors.”
Every bedroom has its own en-suite as well as “an additional assisted bathroom located at every floor”, with concluding remarks by the architects adding: “This scheme will make the most efficient use of the land while making enhancements to its setting creating a sense of place and community for the development.”
There are set to be major tree losses, with the delegated report detailing how the appearance of the site will change with the construction of the care home, which encompasses the loss of two-thirds of the existing trees. The report says: “The result of this would be a small section of the cover along the Newham Way boundary being only one tree in width.”
The remaining trees would be “relatively poor individual specimens”, with their amenity value considered better as a group. However, a significant amount of the on-site woodland comprises Ash trees. The report adds: “With the ongoing impacts of Ash dieback, it is understood that the majority of Ash trees in the borough are likely to be lost in the coming years, so the existing groups of trees are unlikely to have long term impacts at this site.”
As a result, suitable replacement trees are deemed acceptable. Additionally, trees along the northern boundary of the site are to be retained and it is argued that this will assist in screening the proposed buildings and reduce their visual impact when viewed from Newham Way.
The proposal is deemed to be fully in accordance with both local and national planning policies. The care home is not deemed to be out of scale and character with the surrounding area, a judgement was also made that the care home would not have a detrimental impact on the local and residential amenities nearby. New traffic resulting from the plans is not deemed “to give rise to any inappropriate or undue affects”, according to the approval notes.
24 conditions listed by the council must be met as part of the development. For example, bat and bird boxes need to be applied for, approved and installed within six months of the first person moving into the care home. In addition, the development cannot be brought into use until secure parking facilities for 10 cycles have been provided. Time constraints have also been issued regarding bin collections and deliveries to the site.
