Decision made on Ipswich ‘care village’ plan

An artist's impression of how the new 'care village' at Westerfield House, in Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich, would look. Picture: WESTERFIELD CARE Archant

Plans to transform a redundant Grade II Listed house into a ‘care village’ have been given the green light.

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Westerfield House care home, Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich where owner Mac Khan is aiming to create a care village. Picture: DAVE VINCENT Westerfield House care home, Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich where owner Mac Khan is aiming to create a care village. Picture: DAVE VINCENT

The £25million project by Khan and Co Ltd aims to transform Westerfield House and surrounding playing fields in Humber Doucy Lane into a 147 apartment ‘care village’ which will provide services such as hairdressers, cinema and restaurant alongside the usual residential rooms.

The developers claim it is a “unique project” in Ipswich as it provides everything people will need in one space.

Ipswich Borough Council’s planning committee unanimously approved the outline proposals at its meeting on Wednesday, April 3.

Mac Khan, director of Khan and Co, said: “We are very excited – it is something that is really needed.

“This is such a unique project – it’s all care in one village.

Councillor Carole Jones, planning portfolio-holder, said she supported the plans for the site, describing it as another incremental change in its history. PIcture: SU ANDERSON Councillor Carole Jones, planning portfolio-holder, said she supported the plans for the site, describing it as another incremental change in its history. PIcture: SU ANDERSON

“There will be 147 units providing different types of care concepts catering for the elderly, under 55s, under 20s, and working together with the university partnership, the NHS and local authorities, and really working in partnership with other care homes.”

The plans had previously been deferred from the committee’s January meeting because of concerns on the impact to the Grade II Listed house, the lack of a flood risk assessment, terrain survey and the need for additional highways comments.

The outline approval means the developers will now work on detailed plans on the designs, layout, appearance, communal facilities and parking, with the matter expected to go before the planning committee for approval.

It is not yet clear when that will come forward, or when the developers are aiming to have spades in the ground.

Councillor Carole Jones said: “This is a really substantial application.

“We have comments from our own conservation and design officer, and Suffolk Preservation Society all objecting, partially objecting or having concerns about this application.

“The location and size of this site indicates that it’s always going to be a site that would be developed at some point, and I support the one we have here.

“This has been a building and site that has changed over virtually every century from the 16th Century to the 1950s and really what we have now is the next incremental change.”