Fears over plan to replace The Greyhound pub with care home

Frontier Estates wants to build a large-scale state-of-the-art facility on site on the corner of Norton Road and Greyhound Lane which is currently occupied by The Greyhound pub.

People in the area have reacted with horror at the thought of losing the pub and the sheer size and scale of the proposed facility which would include 60-ensuite bedrooms plus gardens and 20 spaces for parking.

The developers, however, say the proposed new home would make good use of previously developed land and help to meet the need for elderly nursing and dementia care.

An impression of how the new care home could look. Image courtesy of Gillings Planning and Frontier Estates

Laura Grimason, associate director at Gillings Planning which is acting on behalf of Frontier Estates, said: “This proposal, if approved would re-use this previously developed site within the built up area of Norton, to deliver much-needed care accommodation for the elderly through the construction of a 60-bedroom care home.

"The care home will provide high quality en-suite accommodation for the elderly, exceeding Care Quality Commission standards, with the capability to deliver both nursing and residential care including the provision of dementia-specific care.

"This proposal would respond to an identified need for such care provision in the local area delivering a future-proofed and Covid secure home to be operated by an experienced national care home operator."

Norton ward councillor Karen Shakespeare says she has already objected to the proposed two-and-a-half storey development - describing it as "not in-keeping with the area".

She said: "I can't support it in its present form. Two-and-a-half storeys is unacceptable. This structure is too imposing, too close to the road – it's right on the edge of the pavement – and close to a very tight island."

Cllr Shakespeare said she "absolutely accepts the need for more provision for nursing and residential care".

Norton Road resident John Woodward, however, said there are already two care homes close by in Norton Road and he added: "It's a very, very busy location to put in another big building that's going to take traffic. The traffic on that island is going to be horrendous."

He said he would be sad to see the loss of another facility in the area and said: "What the community needs is a decent pub."

Nearby resident Bridget Woolfenden said neighbours were shocked to hear about the proposal to demolish The Greyhound pub and she said on Facebook: "Does anyone really think this is going to look nicer than The Greyhound public house?

"I'm not averse to care homes but they need to be in keeping with the rest of Norton Road - as the other two homes are."

Frontier Estates specialise in developing nursing and residential care accommodation for the elderly and Gillings Planning said the company delivers "carefully designed healthcare facilities that offer the highest level of care service and flexibility for residents" and that the plan would bring new jobs to the area.

The developers say they plan to submit a planning application with Dudley Council's planning department in mid-January.

A flyer inviting comments on the proposed development gave December 23 as the deadline but the developers have said they will accept people's views right up until the time a plan is submitted.

They can be emailed to laura@gillingsplanning.co.uk or people can call 02382 358877.