ALTON is to benefit from a new state-of-the-art Day Services building.
Plans for the £862,000 project were given the go ahead this week by leader of Hampshire County Council, Ken Thornber, who also gave approval for the sale of the existing site in Chawton Park Road.
The new building will be located in a more central location on land to the rear of Alton Social Services offices at Park House, with access off the High Street.
The need for a new centre has arisen due to changes in service provision which have rendered the existing building functionally obsolete.
Part of the building is currently used as a Pupil Referral Unit which will require relocation, and the remaining two-thirds is occupied by the Day Services. The building, which is 30 years old, is said to require major maintenance work in the near future.
As a result, the decision was made to identify alternative premises and to sell the Chawton Park Road site for residential development. The estimated value of the site is £1,000,000 subject to planning consent and 100 per cent of this capital receipt is to be retained for the construction of the new building.
The accommodation for adults with learning disabilities has been specifically designed to cater for those requiring a high level of support and will offer specialist, purpose-built facilities, designed with accessibility in mind.
Of single-storey construction, the new centre will include a resource room, IT links, a multi-purpose activity room and staff offices. A courtyard garden will facilitate outside activities, and the building will benefit from five-star access for disabled users.
There will be a dropped kerb setting-down point, large enough to allow a number of taxis and mini buses to wait and, due to a variation in ground levels, it will be possible to excavate part of the site to create a lower ground car park to provide appropriate car parking facilities for the centre.
Seen as Òa flagship buildingÓ for the county council, the Day Services centre has been designed to fulfil, wherever possible, the requirements of the Agenda 21 environmental policy statement.
Commenting on the proposal, Mr Thornber said: ÒPlans for the new day services building have been specifically designed to cater for those who have high support needs. The new centre will meet current and future needs and will improve services to adults with a learning disability.
ÒThis continues our significant commitment to improve social services facilities for people throughout the county. I am pleased that we can give the vulnerable of Alton a new and exciting building in which to meet and receive our services.Ó