Planning Appeal won at Gillingham, North Dorset

Award-winning Churchill Retirement Living, the UK's fastest growing privately owned retirement house builder, has been granted planning permission on appeal for 35 sheltered apartments for the elderly (22 x 1-bed apartments and 13 x 2-bed apartments) at the Former Royal Hotel, Newbury, Gillingham, Dorset The appeal followed the failure of North Dorset District Council to determine the application in 2009. Churchill Retirement Living argued that the proposed development was not sufficiently viable to make a previously agreed contribution of £508,200 due to the downturn in the economy. Churchill Retirement Living appealed to the Government and the Planning Inspector considering the case has comprehensively concluded that the development can go ahead without making any provision for affordable housing.

The Inspector concluded that the Council could not demonstrate that they had a five year housing land supply, there was a shortage of 192 dwellings and this shortage was another reason to treat the proposal favourably and grant planning permission. The Inspector also recognised that there was a limited stock of owner/occupied sheltered housing in the area and the benefits gained in helping to satisfy the special housing needs of the elderly. This is despite the Council claiming that such a need did not exist.

This prestigious development will comprise an Owners' Lounge, Guest Suite and communal gardens, and is superbly located within walking distance of the shops and amenities in Gillingham town centre.

Churchill Retirement Living builds retirement apartments at carefully selected locations across the South of England and Midlands, offering the very best of local amenities and shopping; at the same time providing Owners with Independence, Safety, Security and 24-hour support and help when required.

Spencer McCarthy, Chairman and Group Managing Director said, "I am delighted that we have won the appeal and we will be starting construction straightaway. Our Planning Consultants, Planning Issues Ltd, were successful in convincing the Planning Inspector that a financial contribution towards off site affordable housing was not justified. Planning Issues also won the argument that the Council do not currently have a five year housing land supply and there continues to be a need for private sheltered housing in the district. We have now achieved six planning permissions this month and this is our third appeal win in May. These new planning permissions represent a significant building block in our expansion strategy to become the undisputed market leader in retirement property development.”

McCarthy went on to say, North Dorset District Council needs to review the way their officers and consultants handled this appeal as they have been comprehensively defeated on all the points. The Council has a duty to facilitate development and my experience of this Council is that they have gone out of their way to delay the development. I hope in the future that the Council will act more responsibly and not try to frustrate much needed new housing development. I should mention that this appeal has cost the local tax payer thousands of pounds because the planners have their own agenda. In these difficult economic times Councils should be looking to tighten the purse strings of public finance and not waste money.”

McCarthy continued, "This development will be our eighth in Dorset, and the first private sheltered housing development in North Dorset since 2002, which is due to Customer demand. According to a Government report "A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society”, over the next 30 years, the population aged 65 years and over is set to rise from 9.7 million to 17million, an increase of 76 per cent. The number of people aged 75 years and over is expected to increase by 4.4 million, or 95 per cent, and the number of people aged 85 years and over is likely to rise by 2.3 million, an increase of 184 per cent. Looking further into the future, a child born today has a one in five chance of celebrating his or her one hundredth birthday.”

At present there are only approximately 50,000 private sheltered housing units in the UK which is insufficient to meet demand. With the projected growth in the elderly population, Churchill Retirement Living predicts demand for this type of housing will increase by a minimum of 35,000 homes by 2020. Assuming the rate of demand remains constant there will be a shortage of 62,500 units by 2020 if the rate of provision does not increase.

The paucity of supply is illustrated by the fact that nearly 40% of prospective Owners are having difficulties in finding suitable private sheltered housing.

By moving into private sheltered housing, elderly people are taking an active decision to secure their quality of life and independent living. Without more private sheltered housing, a generation of old people will be deprived of the opportunity to move to more suitable accommodation.

For further information on the planning appeal please contact Andrew Burgess Managing Director of Planning Issues Ltd, planning consultants for Churchill Retirement Living. Tel 01425 462175 andrew.burgess@planningissues.co.uk

Click here to read the Appeal Decision in full.