A PLANNING application is currently being put together to create a retirement living development on the former Harewood House care home site in Tavistock.

Churchill Retirement Living — a developer specialising in the provision of purpose-built apartments designed for older people — held a public exhibition in Tavistock Town Hall last week to show the public its proposed ideas and gather feedback, which it then plans to use to put together a planning application, due to be submitted at the end of this month.

The plan is for around 48, one and two bedroom apartments for the over 60s, which will be overseen by a lodge manager, will have a 24-hour care line, an owners’ lounge and a guest suite on the site on Plymouth Road.

The developers have said the design would be between two and three storeys and had been produced to ensure it would make a ‘positive contribution’ to the character and appearance of the area, relating ‘sensitively’ to the adjacent buildings. They said the delivery of retirement apartments would meet existing and future need in the area.

They also believed the development would provide elderly residents with safety, security and companionship, would benefit the ‘basket shopping economy’ as its central location would encourage residents to shop locally, it would secure a financial contribution towards affordable housing, create efficiencies by allowing health and social services practitioners to visit several residents at once, leading to a ‘more effective use of public resources’, and would reduce the need to travel by car, due to the proximity to local facilities.

A spokesperson for Churchill Retirement Living said: ‘The public exhibition was very positive and well received with around 40 attendees in total. On the day we received eight comment forms — seven in support and one objection. We have also received several letters of support through the post. We will take on board all the feedback and anticipate submitting the planning application by the end of June.’

The spokesperson said the developer had a legal agreement with the land owner of the site to obtain planing permission and if that permission was granted, Churchill Retirement Living would acquire the site.

They added: ‘In West Devon borough, the projected change of older persons (2011 to 2031) is higher than the average data shown across all other local authorities in the South West, compared against the Cornwall, Plymouth and South Hams local authorities. The Strategic Housing Market Needs Assessment (SHMNA) identifies that there is a clear growth in those aged 60 to 74 — over 30 per cent — with almost a 10 per cent increase in those aged 75 and over.

‘Tavistock is a prominent town in the region with an excellent selection of local shops and amenities and transport links, all of which make it well suited to our type of development.’

Andrew Burgess, planning director for Churchill Retirement Living, said: ‘There is a real need for private retirement housing in West Devon and especially Tavistock. Our proposed development will go some way to increasing access to this type of housing for local residents. By meeting this rising demand, we can allow older people to downsize and free up under-occupied houses in the local area for families.

‘As well as meeting the need for high-quality retirement apartments, the development will bring benefits to the local economy. Owners will be within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants and other amenities, helping to boost local businesses.’

Comments can be given via the feedback form until June 21.