Moving drug and drink addicts into an empty care home just yards from a nursery has been branded “madness”.
The private group behind the plan stands accused of shifting its clients into the rehab centre under the radar.
Now Erskine Community Council has demanded answers from national addictions group Abbeycare, which is shifting its Scottish base - currently in a secluded countryside castle - into the heart of the Renfrewshire town.
It has emerged even the area’s health bosses only learned of the development last week.
Groups of up to 30 people, who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, at a time will take up residence as early as next month.
The cost of the treatment is at least £10,000 per person.
A spokesman for Erskine Community Council said: “The wider public have not been made aware of this.
“There is a huge difference between caring for retired ex-servicemen and the care of troubled individuals with possible criminal records as a result of their drug and/or alcohol dependency.
“Holding a meeting for nearby residents three days before Christmas smacks of wanting to hide and to do things at speed.”
Carli’s Kindergarten is right across the road and the quiet area boasts large family homes.
The company bought the former Erskine Mains Care Home, in Meadows Drive, after it was put on the market last year at offers over £1.25million.
And, as the building is classed as a care home, no planning permission or public consultation was required.
Now we can reveal bosses at the Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership have asked to meet the company “as a matter of urgency”.
We can also reveal an internal Renfrewshire Council memo states: “We are aware the nature of this service may cause some concern for local residents.”
Marketing material from the home’s vendors had even pinpointed the 1.2 acre site as being within a predominantly residential area and “there is a children’s day nursery nearby”.
The Erskine charity mothballed the home in 2016 as it was losing hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.
The community council and Erskine’s councillors – including local authority leader Iain Nicolson – were told the addictions centre was imminent at the start of last month.
Abbeycare put a statement on its own website three days before Christmas.
The same day the company held a meeting for surrounding residents ... but Erskine Community Council says some were unaware of it due to the busy time of year.
Abbeycare Group chief executive Paul Bowley presented it as a done deal, saying: “Scotland is currently in crisis and we have made the decision to invest heavily during these uncertain times to ensure that we can play our part in helping even more people begin their recovery journey.
“The clinic is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment in preparation of our relocation from our current home at Murdostoun Castle in early 2021.”
By comparison, Murdostoun Castle nestles “discreetly” in the middle of its own 40-acre parkland estate in the North Lanarkshire countryside.
The standard residential treatment is 28 days and drug addictions handled include heroin and crystal meth.
But the company want to introduce a “bespoke 12-week programme” in Erskine.
Erskine Community Council has now posed a series of questions about the fait accompli nature of the move and wants a new planning application submitted.
It asks: “Why are Abbeycare Group moving at such an unprecedented urgency?
“Are they using the current situation to affect an early entry without considered consultation?
“What security will be in place?”
The community council spokesman added: “The placement of this larger facility in a highly populated residential location adjacent to a child nursery is madness.
“And the indecent haste demonstrated by Abbeycare must not be allowed to succeed, for the sake of their profitability, at the cost of Erskine residents.”
Councillor Nicolson said Erskine councillors and community councillors had been made aware of the rehab plan.
He said:“There was consultation and enquiries were made regarding planning and a change of use, which I understand is not required due to its care facility status.
“I am aware that local residents who live immediately around the facility did attend the open morning and I have had no further communication from them about the proposal.”
Renfrewshire HSCP confirmed it had now been made aware of the facility.
A spokesman said: “We have had introductory discussions with Abbeycare’s management team and are keen to maintain close working relations over the coming months to ensure appropriate community engagement is undertaken and any potential local concerns are addressed.
“Our priority is the continued wellbeing of the people of Renfrewshire and we are here to support the best recovery journeys for those who need us most.”
Abbeycare business development manager Dean Matheson says the purchase of Erskine Mains only completed on January 8 and local tradesmen were now completely refurbishing a “run down building”.
He said: “At all stages of the process, the Abbeycare Group has attempted to be as open and transparent as we can be when reaching out to the local community.
“On December 21, we opened our doors and invited local residents to come along to have a tour of the new facility, where residents where given the opportunity to ask questions of the senior management team.
“Feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
“The Abbeycare Group looks forward to becoming a valued member of the local community and have plans in place to offer job opportunities.”
The company said it had “reached out” to Carli’s Kindergarten and that they enjoyed a “warm relationship with the owners”.
