ALTONÕS Marlfield Home for the Elderly has been earmarked as a possible site for development in Hampshire County CouncilÕs £60 million ENHANCE nursing homes project.

The Gilbert White Way premises is one of six identified so far by Hampshire County Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority (HIOWSHA) who are working in partnership to provide 500 beds at sites across the county.

Thought to be the first of its kind in the country, the project will see the beds provided on county council land attached to its social services residential homes, with some on NHS land.

A planning application has been submitted to East Hampshire District Council for construction of a 40-bed two-storey purpose-built home attached to Marlfield.

According to a HCC spokesperson, the beds would be designed to meet the needs of older people with general nursing care needs, dementia and/or physical frailty and short stay intermediate care.

The proposal would include the provision of en suite toilet facilities, lounge/dining rooms, assisted bathrooms, occupational therapy room, medical room, visitors room, and staff offices, with the homeÕs existing kitchen and laundry facilities to be shared.

The existing access to the home directly onto Gilbert White Way is expected to close with the current alternate entrance from Curlews proposed as the new main entrance. Secure landscaped courtyard areas with raised garden beds, a water feature, lighting, seating and sensory planting will be provided for residents, and the low profile building will be constructed from materials in keeping with the existing home.

HCC leader Ken Thornber is delighted with the progress being made. ÒI am pleased to see the momentum being maintained on our important partnership project ENHANCE, with this further application at Marlfield being submitted. If this application is successful and the site is selected, as I am hopeful it will be, older people in East Hampshire will have the benefit of having these nursing beds available locally.Ó

North Hampshire PCT director of modernisation and nursing, Paul Bennett, said: ÒWe are pleased to be working in partnership with Hampshire County Council and the strategic health authority to provide much needed nursing home care for our local population.

ÒDeveloping facilities at Marlfield older personsÕ home in Alton, and others across Hampshire, will enable us to make sure our residents are able to get care in the right environment.Ó

HCC Property Service, which is jointly managing the project with social services, is in the midst of detailed analysis of other sites across the county where nursing homes beds could be built, with further planning applications to be made on selected sites in the coming weeks.

Once the outcome of the applications are known HCC and HIOWSHA will make a final decision on which sites will proceed, with building expected to start in the autumn on whichever sites are first selected.

The topic was discussed at the last meeting of EHDCÕs north west area community committee at which members and local residents were given the opportunity to comment on the proposals.

A presentation was given by representatives from Hampshire County Council to explain the plans in detail.

Concerns were expressed by both councillors and residents over the provision of parking facilities at the site, a possible increase in on-road parking in the surrounding roads, and access to the facility. But most of those who spoke also said that they supported the provision of such a facility.

County representatives assured them that studies into the parking and traffic situations had been carried out, and that their concerns would be addressed.

All comments and enquiries raised were noted by the county representatives, to be considered in the development of the plans.

The county council was also applauded by Allan Chick, who said: ÒI congratulate the county council in taking this project forward. With nursing homes closing by the dozen in the area, we need to move quickly on these proposals.Ó