At Carterwood, we excel at supporting care home operators and developers in building a compelling case around the need for new care homes using quantitative and qualitative data.
We produce Planning Needs Assessments (PNAs) and Alternative Site Assessments (ASAs) as part of the planning process and provide evidence at appeal when required. Our insights, backed by impartial data, give planning officers and inspectors the information they need to make informed decisions.
The proof is in the pudding
As 2024 draws to a close, we’ve rounded up our recent success at appeal. Over the last two years, we’ve faced numerous challenges from addressing acute and increasing care needs, to developing in Green Belt, and we’re proud to have played a part in the positive outcome of these appeals.
1. Crowthorne, Wokingham
Care Home Development with ensuite provision
Carterwood helped secure permission to develop a much-needed new care home in Crowthorne. The project will see the construction of a modern, purpose-built, 60 bedroom care facility with en-suite wetrooms and comprehensive communal facilities.
Wokingham Borough Council opposed the development, arguing that local trends favour ageing in place, which they claimed reduced the need for new care home spaces.
Carterwood presented robust evidence demonstrating the need for high-quality care home provision to meet the needs of older people who go on to require 24-hour care. This underscored the urgent demand for additional bedspaces.
The inspector confirmed that the proposal would contribute to solving the local need for residential care home accommodation, describing it as a “considerable benefit” in addressing housing needs for diverse groups in the community.
2. Girton, Cambridge
Specialist Dementia Care Home
Carterwood helped secure planning permission to replace a former hotel with a purpose-designed dementia care home in the Girton Gap, a green belt area on the edge of Cambridge.
Carterwood, acting in an expert witness capacity, provided robust evidence highlighting the significant undersupply of dementia care beds in the area. The inspector agreed that the development would meet the urgent need for new care facilities to support current and future demand.
This care home will deliver critical dementia care resources and serve Girton’s growing ageing population.
3. Harpenden, Hertfordshire
Redevelopment of Chelford House into a 63-Bed Care Home
This appeal saw the successful redevelopment of Chelford House and the change of use from a commercial property into a 63-bed care home. Carterwood submitted a Planning Need Assessment (PNA) and Alternative Site Assessment (ASA) as part of the application process. By doing this, we demonstrated a critical unmet need for market-standard care home accommodation in the local area.
The inspector placed significant weight on the urgency of providing suitable care facilities for elderly individuals with immediate needs, reinforcing the case for this modern, purpose-built care home development.
Looking ahead to your next planning application or appeal
The above examples showcase some of the appeals we’ve worked on. See below for approved planning permissions.
Each of these decisions reflects our commitment to providing expert consultancy that meets the technical requirements of the appeal process while addressing the real-world needs of our communities.
If you’d like to learn more about our work, please email Jessamy Venables.
Celebrating planning permissions
We’re also extremely proud to have supported these successful planning permissions, where a Carterwood Planning Need Assessment (PNA) report was submitted as part of the application process:
- Solihull, Birmingham.
We supported a cross-boundary application to demolish the former Prince of Wales public house and develop a 72-bedroom care home. The application included a change of use from former agricultural land to ancillary amenity space and Green Care Farming with landscaping and associated works. - Wargrave, Wokingham.
This comprised a full application for the proposed development of a new part two-storey and part three-storey care home including substation access, parking and landscaping following demolition of the existing care home and a change of use of land at the eastern end of the site. - West End, Southampton.
Following the demolition and clearance of the existing site, this development will deliver a 70-bed care home. - Alton, Southampton.
This purpose-built care home will provide a total of 67 beds and forms part of a wider development including 28 apartments offering affordable, age-restricted sheltered accommodation. Carterwood supported the care home application. - St Asaph, Denbighshire.
We supported this application by demonstrating the significant need for this 198-bed registered care home with landscaping, parking facilities and associated works. - Grappenhall and Thelwall, Warrington.
This proposed demolition of the existing public house and building of a three-storey, 70-bed care facility was granted planning permission with our support. - Wrotham Heath, Sevenoaks.
This application involves the demolition of an existing care home building and the erection of a replacement care home. - Wood Street, Barnet.
This new development will provide a brand new care home with 100 beds, communal areas, amenity space, buggy store, refuse/recycling store, cycle store and sub-station as well as 43 off-street parking spaces. - Carnforth, Lancashire.
This 118 bedroom care home will include communal, staff and services areas, internal road layout, car parking and landscaping, new access point and the construction of a new retaining wall. - Stoneygate, Leicester.
After demolishing an existing single dwelling, this proposal will see the provision of a three-storey 72-bed care home. - Watford, Hertfordshire.
By demolishing existing buildings, this development will provide a new 76-bed care home, with landscaping improvements and car parking. - West Street, Farnham
This proposal includes building a care home with nursing following the demolition of the existing place of worship. - Grays Farm Road, Orpington.
We supported the application for this redevelopment to provide a 75-bed care home. The project includes demolition of existing buildings and construction of a new purpose built care home with landscaping and associated car parking. - Little Bookham, Surrey.
This was a big project to build a 70-bedroom elderly nursing home including three close care units. This would involve the erection of a new single-storey outbuilding, with access, circulation, parking and landscape, including new footpath and boundary treatment, while retaining the original façade and retention of the original house on three sides. - Nursling, Southampton.
This two-storey 54-bed care home will provide specialist nursing and dementia care facilities. The project involves: ancillary cycle store, servicing, amenity space and landscaping, including woodland management and tree planting, provision of 28 car parking spaces plus relocation of four existing car parking spaces; and construction of a drive. - Hawker Siddeley Way, Andover.
This project to build a three-storey 66-bedroomed care home for older people included developing car parking and landscaping, creating a bin store and garden store/electric meter storage, and constructing a new cycle shelter. - Adderbury, Oxfordshire.
Phase 1: Construction of a 60-bed elderly nursing home. Phase 2: Construction of extra care facility of up to 3,450 sq. m (GIA). - Knowle, Solihull.
Development of a 60-bedroom care home with car parking/servicing area and landscaped grounds; - West Street, Reigate.
Development of a registered residential care home for the frail elderly, following the demolition of three existing dwellings; - Sunninghill.
Development of a registered residential care home for the frail elderly, following the demolition of four existing dwellings; - South Eden Park Road, Beckenham.
This redevelopment of the site will provide 280 residential units for the frail elderly. - Randalls Road, Leatherhead.
This care home project provided 62 beds, 35 assisted living units, 26 family houses and 17 affordable dwellings and included public open space including a Locally Equipped Area of Play (LEAP) and landscaping following the demolition of Farthings. - Chertsey, Surrey.
This application saw the development of a two-and-a-half-storey building for use as a 70-bed care home, and a three-and-a-half-storey building for use as 50 extra care apartments.
Our team provides expert advice throughout the planning process, offering greater insight into the need for new care home developments in your area.
Email info@carterwood.co.uk for more information or to arrange a chat with one of our advisors.
