ANGRY company boss Chris McGoff has slammed the rejection of a care home scheme as one of the ‘most bizarre’ decisions he had seen in his 25-year career.

Mr McGoff is CEO of New Care Projects, whose scheme for a 60-bed care home in Handforth Road, Wilmslow, was rejected by Cheshire East Council’s northern planning committee.

The demolition was proposed of two detached properties before the building of the care home.

New Care Projects previously had plans for a 65-bed care home turned down by Cheshire East and the Planning Inspectorate at appeal.

The revised application still sparked fears, with more than 50 objections from residents.

MP Esther McVey, Wilmslow Town Council and Handforth Health Centre also raised concerns, but officers recommended the committee approve the scheme.

The application was rejected on grounds of overdevelopment and having a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the area.

Mr McGoff said: “The decision to refuse the application for a second time, when senior planning officers recommended approval on both occasions, is one of the most bizarre planning decisions I have seen in my 25-year career, especially when the need for the care home is clear for all to see.

“Our care home will only meet 6.5 per cent of the current identified need at a time when older non-purpose-built facilities are closing at a rapid rate of knots due to their often non-compliant nature making them unsustainable.

“This is the negative side of our planning system, where nimbyism prevails and the views and requirements of the many are disregarded in favour of the privileged few.

“Esther McVey and other local councillors have a lot to answer for. As Housing Minister, Esther McVey has continually repeated inaccurate and untrue statements as part of a formal objection focusing her argument on the local GP surgery being inundated with 60 new patients (one for each bed) should the care home application be approved.

“This is not the case. Statistically most residents who enter a care home are from the local area, and more often than not already registered with their local GP.

“Our purpose-built facilities ease pressure on the local health economy by supporting the NHS and helping to ease the burden on hospital beds.

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“The actions of the Housing Minister in objecting to the application are also blocking the creation of about 80 full-time equivalent jobs.

“Other councillors also need to be pulled up. They are happy to go on record to oppose the demolition of a care home due to the loss of beds, but then directly oppose the demolition of two houses to make way for an attractive new privately funded care centre that will directly address the dire care needs they have been so quick to highlight.

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“Hopefully common planning sense will prevail at our next appeal, and if successful we will have no alternative but to seek a full award of costs from the council.”