FORMER parliamentary candidate for South West Surrey, Dr Louise Irvine, has expressed ‘sadness and anger’ at plans to build 60 new homes on the site of the former Cobgates care home, having campaigned against its closure in 2016.

As reported on this week’s front page, last Thursday Farnham Town Council proposed seven potential new housing sites to meet a 450-dwelling shortfall in its Neighbourhood Plan - one of which being Cobgates care home in Falkner Road.

Surrey County Council (SCC) remains the owner of Cobgates, having closed the home together with five others across the county in 2016, and has itself promoted the site for housing after deeming it “unsuitable for future care use”.

This contrasts with the comments of Surrey’s cabinet member for adult social care Mel Few in March 2015, however, who said of the six homes: “We have no intent to sell the properties and they will remain as part of the council’s adult social care service.”

Elderly residents of Cobgates and their families campaigned fiercely against the closures, supported in the build-up to the 2015 election by National Health Action candidate Dr Louise Irvine.

Responding to news of Cobgates’ future use, Dr Irvine told the Herald: “I am sad and angry but not surprised. Cobgates was a wonderful local authority care home that was forcibly closed in 2016 by SCC, against the wishes of its residents, their families, staff and many local people.

“The ‘Cobgates isn’t closing’ ploy was based on the empty promise that the building would still be used for some form of elderly care. That was not much consolation for the care home residents who were dispersed to multiple different homes, breaking up close friendships that had lasted for years and an exceptionally loyal and caring staff.”

Dr Irvine added she still regularly visits one of the former residents, Margaret, who is 101 and settled in her new home, but still feels the loss of Cobgates.

“I remember Margaret’s contribution to the consultation on Cobgates’ closure. She wrote ‘This is my family. There is love here.’ I think closing Cobgates was an act of social vandalism. It destroyed an excellent care home and residents suffered from being forced to move.

“Farnham has lost one of its jewels and that is very sad.”

Dr Irvine also accused her 2015 election rival Jeremy Hunt of denying that Cobgates was closing at the time, reportedly telling the 2015 election hustings in Godalming “that Cobgates was not closing and the residents were just being moved”.

However, responding from Washington DC, the Foreign Secretary and local MP Mr Hunt denied ever saying Cobgates was not closing, telling the Herald: “Having done a shift with the brilliant staff there I always thought it was brilliant and so I do think it is a very sad day”.

The Herald requested a comment from Mr Few, who retains a responsibility for adult social care at SCC, and in response a county council spokesman said: “A great deal of work is going on to look at all our properties across Surrey to either generate better services for residents or create an income for the benefit of all Surrey’s taxpayers.

“At the same time adult social care needs are changing rapidly and we’re currently transforming the way we provide that in the face of huge financial pressure. While Cobgates was assessed following its closure in its current format it was deemed unsuitable for future care use.”