New care hub could replace 42-bedroom home in Cornwall

Cornwallis Care Services has applied to demolish Meadowbrook House care home on Grenville Road, Lostwithiel and replace it with a larger care home for 77 residents and a new close care building of 36 one- and two-bed apartments.

Meadowbrook House specialises in dementia nursing while also including those with Parkinson’s Disease, and stroke and respiratory conditions. In addition, the home also provides care for residents with physical disabilities, including those over the age of 65 who have learning difficulties and bariatric patients.

The site has been owned by Cornwallis Care Services Ltd for the past seven years and by the Morleigh Group before that.

The brief for Poynton Bradbury Wynter Cole Architects from Cornwallis Care is to expand the existing care provision to create a new care hub model, an ‘exemplar’ project on how to deliver care for the future. The design is to incorporate a mix of both traditional care units and allow for more independent living.

The development would be phased to allow the existing care home to stay open while a new larger care home is built on the eastern side of the site. Once complete, the existing care home could be demolished freeing up the western portion of the site for the new build specialist housing designed for independent living.

How the Meadowbrook House care home at Lostwithiel could look (Pic: Poynton Bradbury Wynter Cole Architects)

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) has said the proposed development will have an impact on healthcare provision within the area and specifically at Lostwithiel Medical Practice at North Street in the town. The ICB has asked the applicant to make a financial contribution to the practice if approval is given.

Over the past few years, Cornwallis Care Services says it has been reviewing its business model, the services it provides and the future of care provision with a view to creating modern purpose-built care facilities. These new build facilities are to encourage “independent living and wellness into later life”.

The close care concept, which would be provided in the second building if approved, is a model of care based on assisted living within the grounds of an established registered care home, whereby the provision of services, which may include personal care, is enabled from the adjacent care home if and when required.

There are 38 existing parking spaces on the site. The proposals seek to retain these while providing eight new spaces, six of which would be dedicated accessible parking bays. There would also be three new drop/pick up spaces located in the area to the front of the new care home.

Cornwallis Care Services Ltd has been in operation since 1989 and looks after over 300 people in its residential and nursing homes across Cornwall, from Looe to St Ives.

For more details see application PA24/01112 on Cornwall Council’s planning portal, via its website.