Retirement village plans go on display
Adam GrettonA former care home owner has unveiled 'unique' plans for a retirement village at Scole to cater for south Norfolk's ageing population.People will get their first opportunity to comment on the proposals this weekend, which could see the 'retirement community' development on agricultural land.Adam Gretton
A former care home owner has unveiled 'unique' plans for a retirement village at Scole to cater for south Norfolk's ageing population.
People will get their first opportunity to comment on the proposals this weekend, which could see the 'retirement community' development on agricultural land.
The proposals for 90 units for elderly people, off Norwich Road, are the idea of Peter Adams, whose family ran a residential care home in the village for 40 years.
The Oak Park scheme, which will go on display at the village fete on Saturday, aims to provide an alternative for people who do not want to live in a care home or sheltered housing in their later life.
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The Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) on land next to the Oaklands Care Home is a concept more common in America and Australasia, said Mr Adams.
The mixture of bungalows, cottages, and apartments would also offer communal facilities including a cafe, laundry, hydrotherapy pool, spa and fitness centre, treatment and medical rooms, library, IT facilities, hair salon, shop, and sporting and leisure facilities.
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Mr Adams, who sold the Scole Lodge care home four years ago, said some of the facilities would be made available to villagers.
He added that the CCRC village would allow older people to lead an active and independent life, within a community with care and support on site 24 hours a day.
'At the moment in the UK, you have either got sheltered housing where someone is there if there is an emergency or a care home where you lose your house.'
'If you can offer buildings on one site, you can give care to them in their homes. There are places that do it in apartments, but these will be mostly houses and bungalows. The unique concept has only been in the UK for six to seven years,' he said.
Mr Adams, who has already consulted Scole Parish Council and South Norfolk Council over the plans, said he hoped to submit a formal planning application in two months. He added that south Norfolk had the highest proportion of people over the age of 85 in the east of England.
The exhibition will be held on Saturday between 2pm and 5pm on the Scole playing fields, off Ransome Avenue.
