New plans for a 71-bed care home on land which includes the former Orchard House hospital site have been lodged with Stirling Council.
Applicants Northcare (Scotland) Limited are proposing a care home ‘predominantly over three and a half levels’ with ancillary accommodation, car parking and landscaping on land adjacent to the south west of Orchard House on Lower Bridge Street.
Consent for a development including sheltered housing, drive-through restaurant facilities, convenience store and gym was given via appeal in June 2019, but these plans have not been pursued.
A subsequent application for the whole of the Orchard House site including a care home and student housing was refused by the council on August 4 last year and is currently the subject of an appeal.
The latest Northcare (Scotland) application forms a part of the refused application and is re-presented to the council as a like-for-like, stand-alone application.
A planning statement submitted with the proposal states: ‘This application has had regard to the Reasons for Refusal which predominantly related to the student housing element, with minor design modifications and amendments being made.
‘The design approach to the care home development seeks to establish a consistent urban design response to the townscape context.
Northcare (Scotland) Limited also point to ‘an acknowledged shortfall in private care beds’ for the elderly in relation to both the Stirling Housing Needs and Demand Assessment and the site itself.
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The statement continues: ‘It is considered that the care home proposal will be the first phase of the overall re-development of this island site and integrate with the existing health centre and the wider townscape context of the area.
‘The revised approach to the site seeks to continue a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of a care home and student residences on this site, reflecting the existing landscape, surroundings and the ongoing operation of the health centre.
‘Following refusal of the last application, pre-application discussions have been undertaken with the council’s planning department in the lead up to this application submission.’
