THE news that Le Court Cheshire Home in Greatham has been sold has been described as a devastating blow for residents. An accepted offer that means that the home for disabled residents, which was founded by Leonard Cheshire VC in 1948, could be closed within the next three years. Five years ago, the Leonard Cheshire charity proposed replacing the ageing Le Court with a smaller new-look home for high-dependency residents on the site of the current warden's bungalow. Low-dependency residents would then be catered for in a separate home to be built elsewhere in the district or would be able to live on their own with extra support. To pay for the scheme the charity proposed building a terrace of 17 homes on the site of the existing Le Court and converting nearby farm buildings into eight homes for sale on the open market. The charity claimed that this would largely fund the cost of the two new care homes. However in March this year, East Hampshire District Council's south planning committee refused to grant permission for a vital part of the redevlepment plans for the Greatham care home although it did support a scheme to build a 20-bed home for high dependency residents next to the existing 50-bed home. Peter Bray, south regional director at Leonard Cheshire, said: "Sadly, despite our original intentions to continue with a service at Le Court, East Hampshire's decision to turn down our planning application in March means that we have to sell and have accepted a conditional offer for the Le Court site, the details of which we will be able to announce in mid-December. "The proceeds will be invested in the new services in Hampshire. "We regret that there have been too many years of uncertainty for the residents, staff and volunteers at Le Court. Throughout, our concern has been to provide high quality services which make it possible for disabled people to live their chosen lives with maximum independence. "Our energies will now be put into ensuring as smooth a transition as possible for all concerned. These are potentially very exciting developments and will enable us to vastly improve the services we provide. "We realise that change is always difficult and we have, therefore, retained a specialist team to work with the disabled people using our services, their families, staff, volunteers and local authorities to meet their needs and concerns during this period. While this work is underway we will continue to support up to 50 people at Le Court and accept new referrals for both long-term and respite care. "We are determined to make the best of a situation which has been forced upon us – ultimately we intend to provide even better and more services to disabled people in Hampshire for the next 50 years." A statement from the charity said: "Leonard Cheshire is continuing its 50-plus years commitment to disabled people in Hampshire with the development of new groundbreaking services. The first new service will be a residential care home with nursing support for disabled people. A site has been identified in Gosport. Leonard Cheshire is negotiating for the acquisition of two other sites, in Petersfield and Hythe, which could be used for independent and supported living units and hopes to confirm these shortly. The charity is also actively seeking other sites suitable for a range of other services. It is anticipated that these new services would be open within three years." Mr Bray said: "We believe that this is an exciting new chapter for provision of support to disabled people in Hampshire, the birthplace of the charity. We are already providing support at the Petersfield Disability Resource Centre and with these new services we will be able to offer disabled people in the area a broad spectrum of support of the highest quality." Greatham Parish Council chairman Elwyn Evans said: "It is absolutely disgraceful. I imagine they have sold it for housing. The EH planning department should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. "The whole thing has been a disgrace from start to finish. The residents will feel very let down. They like it there, it's their home. It's a lovely spot, it's quiet, peaceful and the surroundings are beautiful. Why would they want to go to Gosport?" Pam Armitage, the chairman of the Residents' Association, has lived at Le Court for the past 14 years and is one of 50 disabled residents. She said: "I'm not happy of course. It's terribly upsetting but there's nothing we can do about it. We were devastated when they told us." The residents were told individually on Tuesday and were handed letters explaining the situation. Pam said: "We will probably hold a meeting but it won't do any good. I really don't know why we can't stay here. I never understood it when they told us five years ago and I still don't. I have been upset, I've been crying today."
