After a successful planning appeal, Churchill Retirement Living has been granted planning permission to build 38 brand new retirement apartments in the centre of Kings Norton. Regenerating the former Police Station site on Wharf Road, the new development will bring a thriving new community to the heart of town, contributing around £1.6m to the local economy and supporting over 70 jobs both during and after construction.
In the appeal decision notice, the Government’s Planning Inspector H. Baugh-Jones stated that the proposed development “would be of high-quality design and reflect the character of its surroundings” and that it “would make a positive contribution to this prominent site”. He concluded that “taking everything into account, there is no compelling reason to withhold planning permission in this case”.
The new development will provide attractive, high quality, secure and self-contained accommodation in landscaped grounds. As with all Churchill Retirement Living developments, Owners will enjoy independent living and a sense of community, with a communal Owners’ Lounge, a Guest Suite, a Lodge Manager, and a 24 hour emergency call alarm service.
Stuart Goodwill, Managing Director of Churchill Retirement Living’s in-house Planning consultancy, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who has helped towards achieving this very positive result. There is a compelling overall housing need in Kings Norton and the surrounding area, especially for older people, and our site is in a perfect location for a new development of this kind. Retirement housing is the most effective way of generating local economic growth, local jobs, and increasing high street spend as we look to recover from the pandemic. It will help improve the health and wellbeing of those who live there, and create a vibrant new community in the heart of town.”
Delivery of new retirement apartments will meet existing and future need in the Kings Norton area and will provide these key benefits:
- Benefits the local economy by around £1.6 million (GVA) as its central location encourages residents to shop locally.
- Supports around 72 local jobs both during and after construction.
- Allows older people to downsize and free up under occupied houses in the local area for families – we estimate around 76 second hand homes will be released onto the market, helping around 25 first time buyers onto the ladder.
- Each person living in a retirement property typically experiences reduced health risks, contributing to fiscal savings to local NHS and social care services of c.£3,500 per person per year. The development in Fleet will therefore create total health and social care savings of over £186,000 per year.
- Provides older people with safety, security and companionship.
- Provides an attractive, bespoke building which complements the existing streetscape.
- Reduces the need to travel by car, due to proximity to local facilities.