Muller gets green light for Leominster care home
Plans to redevelop the Barons Cross Garage into an 84-bed facility have been given the thumbs up by Herefordshire Council.
Proposals first put forward by Muller Group in October 2023 will see all buildings at the 1.6-acre site demolished and replaced with a three-storey care home.
The plot sits at the junction of the A44 and B4360, and is currently occupied by a road haulage firm.
A report from Herefordshire Council’s planning officers said the scheme would “help the care needs of the county as a whole”, with Herefordshire’s ageing population expected to need 762 additional residential care beds and 689 nursing care beds by 2041, according to the authority’s own studies.
By 2035 Herefordshire’s population aged 85 and over is projected to increase by 56%.
The three-storey building will be built on a brownfield site at Barons Cross, on the outskirts of Leominster. Credit: MPG
“National and local evidence identifies a need for such accommodation, and the development would make a positive contribution towards meeting the identified shortfall in residential care provision across the County,” said a report by Herefordshire’a planning officers.
“The development would also regenerate a brownfield site and remediate possible contamination issues, which is consistent with policy L2 of the NPPF and a benefit to which significant weight should be given.
“The delivery of an architecturally well-considered scheme will also improve the appearance of a prominent ‘gateway’ site to Leominster, contributing positively to the character and amenity of the town as a whole.”
Specialist supported living firm Oculus will be the end users for the finished building.
The permission approves layout, scale, appearance and access, with landscaping reserved for subsequent approval.
“Our design-led approach at Barons Cross demonstrates how a purpose-built care home can respond sensitively to its surroundings while meeting an identified local need,” said Julie Doherty, managing director for care at Muller Property Group.
“Huge congratulations to our landowner, the Muller team, and everyone involved in securing this approval. It reflects the detailed research, technical work and collaborative work that underpin our approach to unlocking land, creating places that support residents and wellbeing while contributing positively to the communities around them.”
Plan5 Architectural Design provided designs for the scheme, while Walsingham provided planning support.
- Plans and documents relating to the application can be found on Herefordshire’s planning portal using reference: P232978/O
