Backing for Carbrooke care home plan

A 64-bed residential care home has been given the green light by planners despite concerns from local residents and a medical practice concerned about additional patients.

A 64-bed residential care home has been given the green light by planners despite concerns from local residents and a medical practice concerned about additional patients.

The scheme, passed by Breckland Council's development control board yesterday, is set to be built on land at the former RAF Watton site.

Zest Partnership put forward plans for a three-storey building with parking on undeveloped land at Norwich Road, Carbrooke, part of the old air base technical site.

But the board was told that a local medical practice had concerns over the possible extra burden of additional residents in the area, although this was not a material consideration for a planning application.

And that there was some concern about possible over looking of homes.

Watton town councillors had objected as they said they believed the site should be for commercial use.

Carbrooke Parish Council did not oppose the scheme, but raised concerns about width of a cycle path/footway, which officers said would be addressed as overall improvements to walking and cycling in the area.

Councillors agreed the scheme should go ahead, providing efforts were made to make the front entrance more interesting.

The land next to it is earmarked for shops and business as part of a 2006 outline planning permission.