About Warminster: Grovelands

Warminster Town Councillors Oppose Plans For A 62-Bed Care Home On Land North Of Grovelands Way

Wednesday 25th January 2023

Warminster Town Councils’ Planning Advisory Committee has voted unanimously at their meeting on Monday 23rd January 2023, to object to plans for a 62-bed care home on land north of Grovelands Way.

Councillor Phil Keeble, Chair of the committee, stated that whilst there was some sympathy for the scheme, he still proposed an objection for the following reasons:

“The scheme that gained outline approval in 2018 was for a 48-bed, two storey facility that formed part of a Continuing Care Retirement Community and only gained approval as an “Exception Site’ as the location fell outside the town development boundary and would meet a specific need. The application now seeking detailed consent is for a larger 62-bed, three storey facility that is literally shoehorned into the site leaving little outdoor amenity space for residents or utility space for car parking, goods deliveries, refuse storage and collection, ambulances etc.”

“The 33% increase in occupancy will also lead to increased traffic movements of residents, visitors, deliveries, and staff.”

“The building is designed with all the plant and services such as kitchen and laundry on the top floor leading to concerns of effect of noise and vibration to residents below and noise breakout to the local area. Additionally, the height of a 3-storey building is considered out of keeping with the surrounding neighbourhood and made worse by the ground levels already having been raised out of the floodplain by 500mm.”

“Further, as this care home is the only element of the Continuing Care Retirement Community actively being pursued modification to the application was required to demonstrate that this care home would continue to form part of a Continuing Care Retirement Community as approved at outline consent.”

Concern About Footpaths Access And Wildlife Needs Now That Work Has Started On The Access Road For The Proposed But Not Yet Approved Development At Grovelands, Warminster

Tuesday 1st November 2022

Graham Benjamin, who lives at 2 Norridge View, Warminster, writes:

I wish to express concern about the way in which the developers are treating local residents now that work has started on the access road for the proposed but not yet approved development on the land north of Grovelands Way.

The developer has, despite publishing a footpath access map, blocked access to a public owned bridge and when this blockage was brought to the attention of the site manager his response was “that was published when we were trying to engage with local residents, now we have access to the site we don’t need to.”

I attended the Wain Homes consultation meeting earlier this year where it was stated that they would ensure any works would protect the environment – this, as yet, has proven to be far from the case. Vast areas of the land are now enclosed with six feet high metal fencing; footpaths which previously crossed open fields are now one metre wide tracks; and in places the paths where crossed by large vehicles used by contractors are impassable due to the depth of the track marks. Ancient hedges have been badly damaged in the course of the works, including on public land. I question how wildlife that previously roamed freely in this area will be able to move around in the current situation, if ever again.

It is clear that the former owner of the land is sitting pretty counting his money, having sold out to an unscrupulous developer who cares little for the environment and little for the views of local residents.

Warminster Town Councillors Want Planning Conditions Kept At Grovelands

Thursday 22nd August 2019

At a meeting of the Planning Advisory Committee of Warminster Town Council, held on 19th August 2019, Warminster Town Councillors voted to ask Wiltshire Council to oppose changes to planning conditions at a site in the Grovelands area of Warminster.

Planning permission was previously granted in June 2018 for the building of a Care Home and 45 bungalows as part of a “Continuing Care Retirement Community”.

Planning permission was granted with a number of conditions. The developer is now trying to get at least 26 of those conditions changed.

Warminster Town Councillors made the following points:

The site is outside the settlement framework boundary for Warminster and not part of the neighbourhood plan, therefore development should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.

The provision of specialist accommodation for older people may be an exceptional circumstance.

It was only the provision of a “Continuing Care Retirement Community” that allowed planning permission to be granted.

The bungalows were granted planning permission on condition they were to be reserved solely for elderly residents over 65 in perpetuity.

The bungalows were to incorporate detailed design elements geared to the needs of the elderly.

Part of the new application is to reduce the age that residents are allowed to start living in the bungalows from 65 to 55 years.

Councillors believe that 55 is too young an age for a continuing care community.

When planning permission had been granted it had been agreed that the Care Home and Bungalows had to be built at the same time to provide a Continuing Care Retirement Community. Now the developer also wants to change the planning conditions that mean the bungalows and care home must be built at the same time. Councillors are concerned that this could result in the Care Home not being built.

Councillors supported the comments made by residents in objecting.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Denis Brett said: “We are only an advisory committee, but we hope that Wiltshire Council will pay attention to our views when they make a decision on this application. Town Councillors are very frustrated that the planning process seems to be stacked in favour of the developer to the detriment of local communities.”

Land For Sale At Grovelands Way, Warminster ~ A Unique Opportunity To Acquire A Proposed Retirement Village

Thursday 16th August 2018

Knight Frank are the selling agents for greenfield land at Grovelands Way, Warminster, BA12 8RT. The price is available on application. The sale brochure (viewable online) includes the following information:

Retirement Village – Development Opportunity

A unique opportunity to acquire a proposed retirement village.
Edge of settlement setting within Public Open Space.
Popular West Wiltshire historic market town with a higher than average over 65 population.

Outline planning comprises:
– 85 extra care units (46 private and 39 affordable, C2 use);
– 45 bungalows (C3 use, age restricted);
– 48 bed care home (C2 Use);
– Medical Centre & Pharmacy (D1 use).

Bungalows & Extra Care NSA 114,506 sq ft & GIA 147,767 sq ft.

Care Home 28,417 sq ft GIA.

Medical centre and pharmacy, c.10,764 sq ft GIA.

Site area 29.4 acres (14 acres to be transferred to purchaser) approx.

Section 52 Agreement – Council to take responsibility for Public Open Space (c.15.4 acres).

Outline Planning Permission for the development, with all matters reserved except for siting and access, has Officer’s recommendation for approval.

The Decision Notice and Section 106 Agreement are agreed in principle, with obligations relating to age restrictions, minimum care and bus stop improvements.
The documents are to be signed imminently.

Local authority information:

Wiltshire Council – Application Number 17/05360/0

http://www.knightfrank.co.uk/properties/residential/for-sale/warminster-wiltshire-ba12/RSS180043

Planning Application For Continuing Care Retirement Community On Land North Of Grovelands Way, Warminster

Wednesday 28th September 2016

An outline planning application was submitted to Wiltshire Council and registered on Wednesday 31st August 2016 with regard land north of Grovelands Way, Warminster, BA12 8TB.

The planning application, number 16/08425/OUT, is for:

“Continuing care retirement community comprising a 64 bed care home (Class C2), 50 extra care apartments and facilities (Class C2), 40 affordable sheltered apartments and facilities (Class C3), 42 age registricted bungalows/chalet bungalows (Class C3), 6 Key Worker flats (Class C3), Medical Centre and Pharmacy, Dental Surgery, Community Shop (200 Sqm ), community rooms (2 X 50sqm), relocation of childrens play area, recreational activity and flood compensation area and biodiversity protection/enhancement of local wildlife site, all with associated access road, parking and infrastructure (Outline application relating to access and layout).”

The agent is Tanner & Tilley Development Consultants and the applicant is Mr Paul Trofimov.

Comments on this planning application are invited until Friday 14th October 2016 and can be made online by clicking on: http://planning.wiltshire.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/PLComments.aspx?pk=867303.

The target date for a decision is Wednesday 30th November 2016.