PROPOSALS to demolish the Springbrook pub in Grappenhall and build a 70-bed care home have been approved.

New Care’s application for the site, off Knutsford Road, was given the green light by the development management committee during its meeting at the Parr Hall on Wednesday.

It will be a three-storey building, with vehicular access to be in a similar position to the current access off Knutsford Road.

But the existing car park will be reduced in size to accommodate a total of 30 vehicles. This will include three mobility spaces and an ambulance drop-off zone.

Cath Fairhurst, chief operating officer for New Care, said the applicant has listened to and acted upon a number of design and planning specific issues.

She told the committee New Care is a quality care home developer in the north west and it is committed to offer residential, dementia and nursing care to ‘meet the need locally as a quality provider’.

“There are very, very few new care homes that are registered to provide nursing care because of the national shortage of nurses,” she added.

“The majority of our residents come from within a three-mile radius to our homes, naturally they are often already registered with their local GP practice.

“Our nurses oversee the care provided in the homes and this provides significant assistance to the local health economy, reducing the pressure on our GPs.

“During the pandemic, we reduced the pressure on the NHS by admitting non-Covid patients to our homes to provide rehabilitation and care.”

The scheme had been recommended for approval, with officers saying the principle of residential development in the location is acceptable and that the loss of the public house is considered acceptable as it is considered unviable and would not be detrimental to the viability of the community.

The proposals include a dedicated landscaped garden area for the use of residents to the rear of the block, while smaller residents’ garden areas are planned to the front elevation of the proposed building.