A CARE home catering for the elderly could be transformed into assisted living apartments for children with learning difficulties.

The owners of Essendene Care Home in Barnton have submitted a planning application to the council for a major redevelopment of the facility.

The proposal would see a two-storey rear extension, complete with an enclosed courtyard terrace and communal gardens, built at the Runcorn Road home.

Coupled with the existing building undergoing internal re-planning and refurbushment, this would see the home go from providing 13 care beds for over-65s to offering 10 single-bed assisted living apartments for children with learning difficulties.

A design and access statement, prepared by Fluid Design on behalf of Essendene's owners, says: "We believe the proposed refurbishment and extension of the existing building to continue to provide facilities in the form of assisted living apartments will greatly benefit the local community and continue to provide employment in relation to the care to be provided.

"The design of the new apartments and their associated landscaping will respect the local vernacular and enhance the locality both visually and environmentally and the experience of its residents.

"The design of the building will be of high quality with the apartments having access to the large landscaped garden to the rear."

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Essendene was opened in 1987 with three residents and has been run by the Brocklehurst family ever since.

The statement adds the current owners are now considering retirement, with their son taking over the day to day running of the businesses, prompting the consideration of other uses for the facility.

It continued: "Essendene currently operates as a nursing home with 16 members of staff but the increasingly complex medical needs of potential new clients would mean staffing numbers would need to double to a level which would make the home unviable.

"The new development will take the opportunity to refresh an out of date building with an internal refurbishment and a new two storey rear extension to provide up to date accommodation which will be CQC compliant and which will also bring a minimum of 30 full time jobs to the area."

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For more details, visit the Public Access system on the Cheshire West and Chester Council website, using the reference 23/02052/FUL.