Bovale fight on

Innovative plans for a much needed retirement village at Faraday Road in Hereford, strongly supported by local residents, were submitted by developers Bovale on 13 November, despite initial rejection by planners.

The proposed elderly living and care facility would offer an attractive alternative to traditional care options for those wishing to live in a supportive but unobtrusive community, and has been designed to meet an increasing need for such accommodation in the area.

It would also improve employment prospects in the city; Bovale estimate the retirement village could create up to 140 new jobs and provide important training opportunities.

Herefordshire has an older age profile than both the West Midlands and England and Wales with 24% of the county’s population being of state retirement age or above, compared to 19% both regionally and nationally.

Herefordshire Council’s own research predicts a 20% rise in the number of retired people living in the county by 2011, which is almost double that expected for this age group in England and Wales. Further research carried out on behalf of Bovale suggests that in Herefordshire there are 14.5 people over the age of 80 for every residential bed available, compared to a national average of 8 for every bed available.

The scheme was turned down two years ago by local planners and at an appeal heard by an independent Inspector at a Public Local Inquiry on the basis that the derelict site, which overlooks Widemarsh Common and is surrounded by residential accommodation on two sides, had been earmarked by the Local Council as employment land.

However, according to Charles Collier of Bovale, the proposed care facility will generate some 140 jobs for care professionals and associated staff, whilst improving the site visually and providing acknowledged social service benefits in terms of accommodation and care for the elderly.

The Inspector agreed that the scheme would be beneficial to the local area at the Public Local Inquiry which was held in April 2007 and since then Bovale has investigated opportunities to site the scheme elsewhere in the town.

Having completed these investigations, the developer has been unable to identify an alternative, viable site and remains convinced of the merits of a care facility at Faraday Road and the plans have therefore been resubmitted.