PLANS have been submitted for a 72-bed care home in Ringwood with a cafe/bistro, hairdresser and cinema room.

The proposed development being put forward by Frontier Estates would be built on land off Hopclover Way and includes associated access, car and cycle parking and provision for amenity space.

A design and access statement submitted with the planning application to New Forest District Council (NFDC), said: “This proposal is to create a state of the art care facility for elderly and frail residents with varying levels of dependency and a significant degree of dementia.”

It added: “The project is promoted on the basis of local and national recognised need for safe and secure accommodation for those who are unable to care for themselves at home and are generally deemed medically suitable for discharge from hospital. The development will be the home for remaining life for residents. The proposal is not a “retirement” community or “extra care” accommodation. This type of development is known to be “good neighbourly” with minimum visual or noise impact on surrounding properties and with limited traffic movements and parking demand.”

The development would also have a cafe/bistro, cinema room, hairdresser and meeting rooms, which would be used to “encourage local community interaction with the home and its residents”.

The plans add the home will provide “much needed care facilities” and would “greatly improve the existing site and environment”. The site is located at the newly built Hopclover Way, which is part of the new housing development by Linden Homes at Crow Lane.

Outline planning permission was previously granted for a 60 bed care home on the site.

Vehicle access would be off the new Hopclover Way and the plans include parking for 32 cars.

The application added: “The design aims to be sensitive to the scale of surrounding buildings and its rural context and it strives to maximise the sense of openness and outlook both to and from the site especially along Hopclover Way and towards Castleman Trail.”

To view the plans go to NFDC’s website (Reference 20/11148).