West Berkshire Council has submitted a planning application to bring the former Chestnut Walk care home in Hungerford back into use as temporary accommodation for residents in need.
The site has been vacant since its closure in January 2017 and is currently classified as Class C2 (a residential institution), the application seeks to change it to Class C1 (a hotel/hostel), so that the facility may be used to provide supported temporary accommodation with onsite management and security measures.
The application also seeks the construction of a new air source heat pump compound and cycle store, along with the relocation of the bin store.
If successful, the site will use 12 of the rooms within the building, as its focus will be on supporting single-occupancy households, the site would then be maintained and managed by West Berkshire Council.
Contention
The application has attracted some contention from local residents. A resident whose house directly borders on the site wrote that the proposal had potential for noise and odour nuisance, as well as the potential security risk of the alleyway separating the site and their residence.
Future of the application
There will be a consultation on the application this Friday.
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