A former care home in Sandown, which is regularly subject to arson attacks, could be pulled down and replaced with 23 flats.
The Stonehaven Residential Home, on Carter Street, closed in 2018. It had previously been given planning permission to be converted into 16 flats, but the scheme is yet to begin.
Costs to convert the existing building are said to be significant and will continue to rise, according to planning agent Phil Salmon. Documents submitted under the new application claim the development value of 16 flats do not justify the building costs.
In order to make the scheme viable and deliverable, the building must be demolished, a valuation has found.
In recent years the hotel has been derelict and squatters have become a risk to the current owners.
In May this year, a small fire broke out in the empty care home, with firefighters dealing with the blaze for 2 hours. Police later confirmed they were treating the fire as arson – and it wasn’t the first time either.
The current poor condition of the site is said to now be at odds with the well-maintained residential properties in the area, especially being opposite the Grade II-listed St John’s Church.
The building originally served as the vicarage, later being converted and extended as a hotel, then a care home before support from the council was withdrawn as previous owners were unable to upgrade the facility to meet standards and regulations.
Faro Properties, of London, are now seeking to demolish the building and construct a new 3-and-a-half storey building with 23x 1-bed and 2-bed flats.
There would be no affordable flats as part of the scheme as adding that aspect, Mr Salmon said, would render it undeliverable. It is proposed a contribution is provided to offsite affordable housing instead.
To view plans, 21/01400/FUL, visit the council’s planning portal. Comments will be accepted until 27th August.
This is the kind of projects we need.
Just to add to the concrete jungle!!!!
Won’t be any tourists …..
Because they won’t want to visit the concrete jungle with all the rabbit hutches …..
Yeah because building a new building to replace an existing building is adding to the concrete jungle you melt
well said miss sensible – they could easily bulldoze the building and turn it into a new green open space, with trees and plant life, which will attract birds and other creatures. This can then be a new area for people to enjoy with clean fresh air – instead of another block of benefit hutches for more people to create more mess.
a park however, would not benefit the chancers who own the building -who are based in london and care little about the islands environment
I’d love to see that happen. That would be so wonderful. To see horrible concrete being dug up and the land returned to beautiful greenery.
Likely the arson attacks have ‘acheived’ their goal for the owner then.