An independent nursing home in Saltdean has revealed plans to expand to a neighbouring house to care for more dementia patients.
The operators of Arundel Park Lodge want to convert a detached house into a 14-bed care home, and build a single storey extension to link the property with their existing care home.
Michael and Anita Redwood, owners of the Whytecliffe Group, have submitted plans to use a residential property as a secure mental health care home after running Arundel Park Lodge – rated good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2019 – since January 1988.
The plans seek to add a two-storey pitched roof extension to the new care home facility at 26 Arundel Drive East, which would have rooms with en suites, a communal wet room bathroom and large communal living and dining room area.
Anita Redwood said: “We purchased number 26 Arundel Drive East a few months ago after it had been on the market for some time. The property needs a considerable amount of work.
“There is a shortage of dementia beds in Brighton and Hove and we felt that this was an opportunity to expand our home incorporating a small dementia unit.
“Our current residents are mainly local or have local families. Likewise most staff either walk to work or use local transport.
“I feel that we are a local asset and by opening this small unit will further be able to serve our local community.”
The new care home will be served by the catering facilities of the adjoining Arundel Park Lodge, which houses up to 32 residents and provides 24 hour specialist care.
A resident kitchen area, to be supervised by assistants, is included in plans to provide a home environment for dementia patients.
The planning statement says that the facility would help close Brighton’s gap in high frailty, and nursing dementia beds.
The extensions would keep the Spanish style green roof tiling, and white painted smooth render like other properties on the road.
A new ramp would be built for the front entrance and new paths would provide external access to the main entrance and communal garden area to the rear.
The existing front off-street parking area would be kept for staff and visitors.
You can read the full application on the council’s planning portal under the reference BH2023/03197.
And the additional revenue they will generate from the additional beds will be most appreciated by the company. MH beds are particularly lucrative.