Cornwall Council Approves Care Home on Car Park

Cornwall Council's planning committee has unanimously approved the construction of a 67-bed care home and 26 affordable apartments on a former council office car park in Wadebridge. The development at Higher Trenant Road faced objections from nearby residents regarding the height of the proposed three-and-a-half-storey buildings and potential overspill parking.

Applicant representatives presented a travel plan to address parking concerns. Councillors were informed of a critical need for more care beds in Cornwall, with a predicted deficit of 2,400 by 2040. Wadebridge and its surrounding area specifically require an additional 216 beds. Sanctuary Housing plans to manage the new facility and aims to open seven new care homes across Cornwall within the next decade to accommodate an ageing population.

The report highlighted a persistent challenge for Cornwall: a declining care home provision with an average net loss of 25 beds per year over the last four years. This trend risks Cornwall Council being unable to meet its statutory obligations under the Care Act of 2014, underscoring the urgency of addressing the undersupply of care home capacity.