Barchester Healthcare Ltd who own Hollycroft on Hebers Ghyll Drive in Ilkley submitted plans in June to knock down the building and replace it with a new care home, these plans attracted objections and the developers have updated its designs.
The plans are still for a new 31 bedroom care home together with associated car parking, landscaping and amenity space provision.
This Edwardian building within the Ilkley Conservation Area is a ‘non-listed building of historic interest’ and closed in 2017 after four decades of being used as a care home.
As part of the planning process a number of objections were made which the developer says it has now addressed through amendments to the design and the support of a heritage impact assessment.
These include the position of building adjacent to neighbouring boundary, the size of amenity space within the rear garden area, inclusion of local vernacular style within the design and retention of heritage features from within the existing building.
Whilst noting the changes made Ilkley Civic Society still maintains its objection to the application on the grounds of heritage, sustainability, architecture and environment, and has now submitted a supplementary set of comments following the submission of revised drawings and documents by the developer for the above project:
"Ilkley Civic Society whilst noting the changes made still maintains its objection to this application for the same three reasons as previously-
Heritage – whilst a more comprehensive heritage statement has been submitted we contend that the property Hollycroft not only makes a ‘strongly positive contribution’ to the conservation area it is also ‘Non designated heritage asset’ the total loss of which would be detrimental to the conservation area and not preserve or enhance the character of the conservation area.
Sustainability- Demolition (i.e total destruction) of any property without taking into account the embodied energy lost and the need to manufacture/source new materials is clearly totally unsustainable in the 21st century. The Bradford ‘Sustainable design SPD’ policy has still not been consulted and no justification for demolition of the existing house provided. Conservation of the historic original building Hollycroft and its reuse as a single dwelling or apartments appear to us the only sustainable solution have not been considered.
Architecture and environment – despite slight changes to the position of the building on the site and minor dimensional reductions we consider this to be only tweaking of the design. The mass of the building proposed and its architecture (minor improvements) are totally unsuitable squeezed onto this site and would result in a negative effect on the conservation area. The bulk of the building still reduces the potential to achieve any ‘net gain’ in biodiversity and we conclude would risk damaging the tree cover surrounding the plot and limit available amenity space for the residents.
The developer is suggesting in the revised submission that the demand for care home places should outweigh the loss of a ‘Key Unlisted Building’. We have supported local residents who believe as we do there is a current over supply in Ilkley and new care homes being built in Burley in Wharfedale and Menston will reduce even more the demand in Ilkley
On the basis of the information provided Ilkley Civic Society have still recommend refusal of this application to the Bradford Council Planning Deptartment.
Locals can still make comments on this application 22/02958/MAF as Bradford Planning department are not planning to make a decision until the end of August."
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