Netherton care home plan rejected as ‘incongruous’
Plans for an extension to a care home in Netherton have been rejected for a second time by Dudley Council.
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A planning application sought permission for 18 new bedrooms at Ashgrove Care Home on Dudley Wood Road.
The new rooms were planned for a first floor extension to the Coppice unit at the care home but council planners concluded the development would look out of place.
Carl Mellor, Dudley Council’s head of planning, said: “The proposed development, by virtue of its design, would result in an incongruous addition to the building which would cause harm to the character of the existing building and the character of the surrounding area.”
Mr Mellor’s comments confirmed the conclusions of planning officers who, in their report on the plan, said the design of the roof meant it would still be visible from public vantage points.
An application for 20 new bedrooms at the care home had been refused in 2024 for similar reasons however a planning statement from Knights Plc on behalf of applicants Ashgrove Care Homes Ltd said the latest design made a negligible impact on the wider environment.
Planners were also concerned about overlooking into neighbouring properties from the new rooms despite changes to the design.
In their report officers said: “Although this would reduce overlooking towards the dwellings on Spring Meadow Road, the proposal would not prevent overlooking to the most private parts of the amenity areas.”
Officers added due to the proximity of windows to the rear boundary, neighbours would have the perception of being overlooked plus trees on the site would not provide adequate screening and were not protected so could be removed without permission.
The applicants had a different view, their statement said: “Due to the type of care provided at Coppice Residential Home, their residents would typically be resting in their beds when inhabiting their bedrooms.
“Therefore (given their age and condition) these residents would be unlikely to be able to stand at the windows to view across to the properties beyond (instead viewing out of the window from their beds).”
