Mosaic Town Planning has successfully appealed against Sefton Council’s refusal of a specialist care village for up to 104 people in Birkdale, on behalf of community care operator Belong.
A Government planning inspector found that the character and appearance of the West Birkdale Conservation Area which surrounds the application site would be preserved, and dismissed the council’s concerns regarding the proposal’s impact on local heritage assets.
West Birkdale’s local councillor Tony Dawson said:
“It is quite clear and totally depressing what the government wants for Southport. More out of town shops to finish-off our town centre and concentrating more elderly people into the parts of town where we already have more very elderly people than anyone else has anywhere in the North West.”
“They seem to have no concerns whatsoever about the cumulative impact of these policies on our local health and social services – and the effect this will have upon the adequacy of services available for the people who already live here. We might almost as well not have planning processes at all.”
The site in West Birkdale was previously occupied by a school for the blind.
Pozzoni Architects designed the three- and four-storey building.
Leon Armstrong, associate of Mosaic Town Planning, said: “We are pleased that the inspector has acknowledged the contribution this community care village will make to the surrounding conservation area. The site has been vacant for some time and has become a blot on the local landscape. We believe that a Belong village is well suited to the location and can help to provide numerous benefits to those with care needs and the local community.”
Belong aims to make a start on site by the end of the year.
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