New care home brings 90 jobs (From Your Local Guardian)

New New Malden care home brings 90 jobs

9:00am Sunday 5th February 2012 in Health By Clare Buchanan

A £25m elderly care home will be built addressing the shortage of bed spaces and creating 90 new jobs.

The development in Coombe Lane West, New Malden, will include space for 92 residents and a specialist dementia facility for 24 people.

Kingston Council’s Development Control Committee approved the plans by Signature Senior Lifestyle, which provides care accommodation for frail, elderly people, on Wednesday, January 25.

The provider, which claims there is an urgent need for care accommodation across Kingston, said the home would bring 90 jobs to the area in a range of roles.

An independent report by an appraisal and valuation service, Pinders, showed a shortfall of 928 ensuite bed spaces, equivalent to 19 care homes, within a three-mile radius of the proposed site.

The report suggested by 2020 the shortfall would rise to 1,071 bed spaces, equivalent to 21 homes.

Development and planning manager for Signature David Roe said he was delighted the application, which the community had been consulted on, had been given the go ahead.

He said: “We will be making a £25m investment in the area, to help address the significant shortfall in quality care home provision in Kingston.

“Furthermore, we will now be able to deliver up to 90 full- and part-time jobs for the area. “We remain committed to working closely with residents to ensure we deliver this care home as quickly and smoothly as possible.”

Work is expected to begin on the site near the Coombe Hill conservation area by early 2013.