Parking fears over care home plan
Proposal for old bowling club site considered
Parking concerns could be made even worse around Stirling’s care village say residents if a new private care home is built on the site of a former bowling club.
An application by Morrison Community Care Ltd is set to be discussed by Stirling Council’s planning panel on Tuesday.
Council planners are recommending approval of the proposal but added a number of condition, one of them being that the company pays a financial contribution of £3,761 towards the City Transport Plan. Planners also want double yellow lines in Randolph Road.
The 50-bed care home would be built on the site of the former Livilands Bowling Club which closed earlier this year after its once thriving membership of 120-140 players dwindled to only 36 registered members. It had originally opened in 1910, moving to the site in 1976.
The care home plane attracted 10 representations comprising five objections and five comments on the development.
The main concerns include insufficient off-road parking for staff and visitors.
One neighbour told planners: “The planned parking provison is inadequate. The suggestion that staff will be encouraged to walk or cycle is admirable but unrealistic given the home will be staffed 24 hours a day and will involve staff having to leave or arrive outside of normal working hours and irrespective of the prevailing weather conditions.
“Access to the existing properties in this narrower part of Randolph Road is at times problematic now, due to the overflow from the hospital. The situation can only be made worse by visitors to and staff at the proposed care home.”
Another said a home for 50 residents with an expected workforce of 75 people would also generate an equally large number of daily visitors and an estimated 100 extra vehicle movements a day if not more.
However, council planners said roads officials had no objections subject to some conditions being put in place, and that a transport statement had been submitted by the applicant along with an increase in proposed off-road parking from 12 to 16 spaces.
They added: “A total of 17 vehicle movements would be undertaken over the peak period from 7am to10am which is considered a suitably low number so as not to have any detrimental impact on the surrounding road network.
“Notwithstanding, it is recognised that a number of residents have raised concerns about the level of parking proposed and the possibility of on-street parking which may result. The proposed parking provision complies with the relevant supplementary guidance, however in an effort to alleviate the concerns raised by residents the reply from roads advises that double yellow line road markings be provided along the eastern carriageway edge of Randolph Road (to the south of the access), continuing around the turning head. This will be subject to a Traffic Regulation Order and a formal consultation process.”
Stirling Area Access Panel have also objected, raising a number of issues relating to suitability for people with disabilities including parking and drop off arrangements, lack of detail, and undersized toilet spaces.
However, planners have said disability/access matters relating to building standards - such as powered doors, toilets, hearing loops and fire proofing of the lift - do not fall within the scope of the application.
Stirling Area Access Panel chair Robert Dick said: “We do like the aspiration of this project, but remain unimpressed with the size and design. The impact of this care home is not in an ideal location for either the freedom of the residents, or local householders who will be continuously bothered by displaced parking for most of the day and night.”
In their report due before the council’s planning panel on Tuesday, planners said: “In determining the application account should not be taken that it is being made by a private sector care home provider.
“The use of the site for care home purposes within a residential area is consistent with the development plan.
“The siting and design of the proposed home would integrate visually into the site and setting of the local housing and community hospital, and the use is compatible with adjacent residential properties.
“The off-road parking provision (16 spaces) would meet the anticipated demand.”