PUBLIC CONSULTATION EVENT
Wednesday 28th February at Corstorphine Community Centre, 5 Kirk Loan, Corstorphine between 2pm and 7pm.
PLANS to redevelop a corner plot in one of Edinburgh’s most desirable aareas have resurfaced with a switch from private flats to a care home in response to an ageing population profile.
Northcare has chosen a 0.56-hectare site at the corner of St John’s Road and Manse Road, launching a public consultation on its plans for a 60-bed unit designed by Unum.
Proposed Development
Being undertaken by award-winning operator Northcare (Scotland) Ltd, this proposed mixed-use development includes a 60-bed luxury care home, five assisted living apartments and ground floor commercial units facing onto St-John’s Road, all within a high-quality landscaped setting.
If consented, the care home complex will address an identified demand for care beds in the local area, exceeding expectations by providing high-quality care accommodation.
One floor (a third of the building) will be devoted to dementia care, and the care home will also provide residents’ entertainment spaces including private dining facilities, cinema, activity rooms, beauty salon, cafe/brasserie and gallery. These allow the residents to enjoy a “day out” without the need to leave the home. The cafe/brasserie and beauty salon will also be accessible to the public, and in addition to this two commercial units will be available for rent.
A residents’ amenity space and activity room will be located on the top floor of the care home. Benefiting from extensive glazing and an external terrace, this will take advantage of the views over Edinburgh towards the Pentland Hills and beyond.
The proposed development is set within an attractive landscape, enhancing the local area, and includes the creation of a secure landscaped garden to the rear of the property.
The site is directly accessible to a range of services, facilities and amenities, and is served by direct access to the public road network with good pedestrian, cycle and public transport access for both visitors and staff.
Ten car parking spaces are proposed, including two universally accessible and two electric vehicle charge points (EVCP). Secure and covered cycle stands, encouraging sustainable modes of travel, will also be provided.
Echoing the prior Michael Laird scheme the latest proposals include a dedicated dementia floor and secure landscaped grounds as well as a top-floor glazed amenity space with an outdoor terrace. Spread across six independent living wings the ‘L’ plan build is served by a double-height entrance lobby with services located in a partial lower ground floor.
Key Benefits
Regenerating this brownfield site, the development will bring a number of benefits to the local community:
Addressing an ageing population
As is well-recognised, Scotland is currently in the midst of a care crisis, with limited lifestyle choices for elderly residents requiring care services. The current stock of care homes and supported housing is not able to meet the future demand of care requirements within Edinburgh.
With an increasingly ageing population, this situation is set to worsen, with the level of bed demand set to almost double over the next 30 years.
A shortfall of care home provision in the wider area has been demonstrated by a Demographic and Needs Analysis Review, prepared to support the development. Much of the existing stock is not fit for purpose and requires to be modernised and upgraded to meet Care Inspectorate standards of provision.
It is anticipated that a proportion of those in the new home will be from the local community, and thereby already registered with a local GP. In addition to this, we partner up with GP practices and pay a private retainer to allow them to get sufficient resources to support our care homes. As an example, we already have such an agreement in place with Blackhall Medical Centre.
A new care complex such as that proposed will improve choice and in due course release housing locally.
Employment and investment
Northcare (Scotland) Ltd will acts as both the developer and operator of the facility, which will see a capital investment of £15 million from buying the site to development. The mixed-use development aims towards net-zero, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving gold standard.
In addition to the construction phase, when operational it is anticipated that 70 permanent jobs will be created at a range of levels and in a variety of trades, including care assistants, housekeeping staff, managers and chefs.
A cafe/brasserie and hair salon will be accessible to the public, and in addition to this two commercial units will be available for rent.
The proposed much-needed accommodation for an ever-increasing elderly population will allow them to live their lives with dignity and independence, with special assistance on hand, exceeding the requirements of the Care Inspectorate regulations.
Community Consultation
NORTHCARE says: ‘We strongly believe in the need for ongoing dialogue regarding our care home proposals, and through a meaningful and effective pre-application consultation (PAC) process are engaging early on with the local community and other key stakeholders.
As what is classed as a major development and in accordance with the planning regulations, a minimum 12-week period of consultation in advance of the submission of the planning application is required. This includes the holding of at least two public consultation events.
Through this process we are promising to consult and listen carefully to your views, making changes where possible to inform and improve our proposals, prior to the submission of a planning application to City of Edinburgh Council. This is anticipated to take place in April 2024.
Consultation Event
A second public consultation event will be held on Wednesday 28th February at Corstorphine Community Centre, 5 Kirk Loan, Corstorphine between 2pm and 7pm (the first was held on 31 January).
Consultation boards will be available to view, providing information on the proposals, with the project team on hand to explain and answer questions, and the opportunity to provide feedback, which will play a crucial role in refining and enhancing our plans.
This event seek to progress and update the proposals following feedback from the first consultation event held at the same venue on Wednesday 31st January, considering and incorporating any amendments where appropriate.
If you want to make comments on the proposals, you may do so at the public consultation event, via the project website using the feedback form below, by email to: hello@northcare-manse.co.uk, or by writing to: Orbit Communications, 42 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh EH2 4HQ. The deadline for receiving these is Wednesday 13th March.
Comments made do not constitute representations to City of Edinburgh Council. A further opportunity to make representations to the Council will be available following formal submission of the planning application.
It is anticipated that a planning application will be submitted to City of Edinburgh Council in April and a site start is estimated by the spring of 2025.
Further information on Northcare can be found at https://www.northcare.co.uk/