Dear Mrs Kirk,
Application No: 11/02627/FUL Demolition of White Hart Public House and erection of a 32 bed care home and rehabilitation facility (resubmission of 11/02255/FUL)
As you are probably aware, there was considerable opposition in West Bletchley to the original application to build a care home and rehabilitation facility on this site. Members of the BPARA object to the current application on the following grounds.
1. The site is inappropriate for the proposed use.
a) Because it is too small for its purpose. Patients with mental health problems need to have some open space to help with their rehabilitation. There is insufficient room on this site to provide proper gardens or landscaping to contribute to the well-being of the residents.
b) Its position at the junction of two busy roads (Shenley Road and Whaddon Way) is very noisy due to the quantity of traffic using them. A quieter position would better assist recovery of patients of any kind.
c) It is too close to nearby homes. Those nearest will have gardens overshadowed by the necessarily high fence round the development. Some patients suffering from bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia are liable to occasional noisy outbursts of shouting and screaming, which are likely to disturb the nearest residents, as will any loud alarms to summon staff.
2. There are three schools in close proximity to the site. Parents feel that children, especially, are likely to be upset if they witness any such episodes on occasions when patients, even if accompanied, are allowed to leave the site. Some fear their children may be harmed.
3. The two roads mentioned above are heavily used. Additional traffic generated by the facility, i.e. staff cars and service vehicles, will put more pressure on them.
4. More demands will be placed on GP surgeries. Do the local medical practices have the capacity and expertise to handle the problems likely to be presented by the patients of the proposed facility?
Please bring our concerns to the attention of the members of the Development Control Committee for their consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs C. R. Simpson, Hon. Secretary, BPARA
