Pledge of 20 jobs in care home plan

Springkerse bid is lodged

A proposed 84-bed residential care home in Springkerse is expected to create 20 new jobs in its first year of operation.

The full planning application submitted by Simply UK this week covers a vacant plot of land off the Springkerse roundabout next to the Springkerse View pub and grill.

The facilities will provide care for respite, nursing and dementia sufferers. There will also be a total of 34 parking spaces at the site.

A statement submitted alongside the plans states: ‘The development will create a significant number of new employment opportunities.

‘It is expected to create 20 new jobs within the first year of operation, split between a full- and parttime workforce.

‘Given the needs of future residents further employment opportunities may be required. This will be risk assessed when admitting the residents.’

The applicants’ statement also pointed to National Records of Scotland figures which show a projected Stirling district increase in the number of people aged between 65 and 80 of 32.6 per cent between 2012 and 2037.

And the number of individuals aged 85 and over in the same period are expected to more than double from 4,027 to 10,651.

Simply UK also stressed that there are currently seven care homes within the city of Stirling with a capacity of 283 individual beds. Their document also pointed out that Westerlands Care Home has 23 beds with one bed available; Annfield House Care Home has 50 beds with no beds available; Forthbank Care Home has 68 beds with four beds available; Fairview Care Home has 60 beds with two beds available; Wallace View Care Home has 60 beds with ‘a few’ beds available; Stirling Council’s Beech Gardens Care Home has 10 beds with no beds available; Gowanlea Care Home has 12 beds with no beds available.

Previous planning applications for the site have included a health and fitness centre (2006), a McDonald’s drive thru (2008), and a 92bed care home (2008).

The health and fitness centre and care home applications were withdrawn by the applicants before a decision was made and the drive thru was refused as it was contrary to the Stirling Local Plan (as altered) of August 2007.

Simply UK also point out in their statement: ‘The building’s elevations have been designed in detail to meet the activities within.

‘The design has evolved over the past 10 years where the changes in the design and scale of the buildings has increased to meet Simply’s every evolving business model.

‘The building is positioned on site to best address the needs of the resident’s private garden and parking requirements.

The orientation of the building is such that the rear... gives a secure private garden for the residents which borders the boundary with the neighbouring public house.’

Significant number of employment opportunities