9:50am Tuesday 31st August 2010
By Mark Stead
ABOUT 90 new jobs could be created if a scheme for a new care home in York wins approval.
The plans to build an 83-bed residential facility next to the private Nuffield Hospital, in Haxby Road, have been drawn up after the firm behind the project said it would help ease the shortfall of spaces for elderly people in the city.
Primary Care Investments Ltd, which has submitted a planning application to City of York Council, has focused on creating the nursing home, which would provide care for frail pensioners and those suffering with dementia, on a patch of land currently used for car-parking.
If planning permission is granted, the building would have three floors and is likely to reserve ten rooms for disabled people who are under 65, with 58 care assistants, 20 nursing staff, eight catering and household workers and four administration and maintenance staff set to be employed.
“On a national basis, the population age is increasing, yet in the face of rising demand there are overall now less care homes and beds than there were several years ago,” said a design and access statement sent to the council by DWA Architects, the planning agents for the scheme.
“The development would contribute towards relieving the identified shortfall on care beds in the York district. To alleviate pressure on other local care services, the operator would separately employ, or contract as necessary with, doctors and other care professionals to attend the home.
“The home is designed for the care of elderly residents, over 65, who have an assessed age-related physical or mental frailty which means they are unable to live independently. This may constitute residential, nursing or dementia care as appropriate.”
The firm also said the loss of the car park would not affect Nuffield Hospital and the land was unlikely to attract attention from commercial developers.
“The development will make a valuable contribution towards the provision of specialist facilities in the area for the care of the elderly and will also be a significant employment generator,” said the statement.
Planners are expected to make a decision on the care home scheme in November.
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