Assisted living plan to be voted on again after error
Plans to build assisted living units are coming back for a second vote after councillors were incorrectly told the homes were too small.
A report to members of Birmingham City Council’s planning committee gave wrong figures on how much space was being provided per unit at the planned 17-home development at Barnsley Road in Edgbaston.
The project involves the demolition of existing single-storey garages at land off the road and erection of a two-storey building including 12 apartments, five bungalows and a nurse station.
The development would cater for residents with a range of care needs and would be run by Eden Futures – a care provider for people with disabilities and other support needs.
The report had stated “all of the units would be circa 28 sq m in size” – smaller than the 37 sq m minimum size required by national space standards.
But a new report to councillors states all of the flats and bungalows in the planned development would meet that standard and that the mistake was down to “officer error”.
Councillors had voted against the plans at a meeting last week – and the item is coming back for a second vote next week when the committee will determine the outcome of the case.
An officer has suggested a reason to refuse permission is that the development “would not provide sufficient private useable outdoor amenity space” according to city and UK planning guidance.
This is because only 307 sq m is provided for the 12 apartments – while 360 sq m is required according to the council’s Places For Living document.
But the officer states when taking into account smaller areas elsewhere within the site, amenity space exceeds the required 360 sq m.
The project has been opposed in a petition signed by 90, and concerns listed in the report to councillors include “exasperation of existing pollution and traffic/congestion problems within the area”.
The planning officer states in the latest report: “Whilst it is noted that in numerical terms sufficient outdoor amenity space is provided for the occupiers of the apartments, members may wish to consider the qualitative issue.
“The majority of the space referred to above is a linear strip located between the proposed building and the access road, alongside the parcel of space located to the north of the car park.
“The additional areas referred to above are small parcels of space that are located to the corners of the site between the site boundary and the boundaries to the bungalow gardens.”
The project will be voted on at next week’s planning committee which can be viewed on the city council’s committee meetings YouTube channel from 11am on February 3.
