New 83-bed care home application on green space in Doncaster suburb brought back before councillors

Runwood Homes had a previous application approved to construct a care home with 75-bedrooms on open space off Goodison Boulevard in February 2017. 

But bosses have amended their plan to add a further eight bedrooms and said they have done this without increasing the size of the home. The plans also include a 36-space car park. 

The proposed plan was requested to come back to the planning committee on request of Coun Steve Cox due to the number of objections, loss of residents parking and why a zebra crossing is missing from the original plan. 

Planning case officer Mel Roberts is recommending councillors on the planning committee approve the application. 

But the council has received seven formal objections to the scheme, many criticising the council for poorly advertising the new application. One person wrote in favour. 

Many objectors raise issues such as the loss of green space for children to play and the increase in traffic to the area. 

In a letter to the council, resident Alan Stone said his deeds state that ‘no buildings or billboards are to be erected’ on the land as it was ‘given in a will to the council’ with a covenant placed outlining it was to be ‘left as common land for people to enjoy’  

He added that solicitors advised him this was the case when he purchased the property in 1982.

Council bosses said they are unaware of any will. 

Nearby resident Sharon Lewis sent a formal objection to the council.

She said: “In all the years I have lived here I see children playing on the field, including my own children, flying kites, football, rounders etc. This is a good way of the children getting their exercise.

“There is not many places for them to go out and be safe now but that is one of the places they can. This should not be taken away!”

Fellow resident Julie Vause added: “I often see children playing here. It is the only place they have close to the housing estate without having to cross the busy road.

“To replace this with a dark passage ways around a building would surely increase crime and antisocial behaviour – the garages close by were demolished for this very reason.”

But Linda Sisson, who revealed her trouble in finding suitable accommodation for a relative with dementia, said Doncaster ‘badly needs a new care home for the elderly’ with ‘modern facilities’. 

Case officer Mel Roberts said: “The addition of eight bedrooms has been achieved within the same footprint of the original scheme, by making better use of the space available.

“This has the benefit of providing more spaces for people who are in need of this type of facility. There will be no impact in terms of traffic generated and the additional three car parking spaces accords with the council’s parking standards.

“The revised designed is an improved and more simplistic solution that will lessen the scale of the building when viewed by the surrounding residents.”