KINGSTON residents will protest against plans to build a new senior living facility on the site of Kingston hospital's Regent Wing and former Diabetes/Pain clinic at a meeting of the Council tonight.

Members of the Wolverton Avenue residents' association have slammed proposals for the buildings for its ugly architecture, effects on sunlight and privacy, and lack of fire safety plans.

Chris Gosney from the group described the planned building as "akin to a cruise ship."

Gosney, who works in construction, believes the home is "very poorly designed."

"There has been a lot of talk about the building having respect for the original but it's twice as high and its external appearance is akin to a cruise ship," he told Kingston Nub News.

"We're not against development of the site but the height and appearance are the main problems."

The new building has blocks of 4, 6 and 8 storeys high. The hospital wing is currently 4 storeys tall.

It will house adults over the age of 55 and provide caring facilities for those who need it. Residents not in need of care will have to pay a service charge equivalent to 2.5 hours of care per week.

None of the housing will be sold at 'affordable' prices and the facility will be operated by Advanced Living Kingston.

Kingston Council is recommending that the application be approved due to the need for senior living facilities in the borough.

The authority's Planning Committee will decide on the plans at a meeting tonight, starting 7.30pm.

Gosney said that over 60 members of the group are planning to attend the Committee Meeting to express their opposition to the plans.

Other concerns about the building include the impact of overshadowing and a lack of fire safety plans.

Council officers also admit in the committee documents that the height of the building will reduce the privacy of the road's residents, but claimed it had been designed to alleviate the impact. They say the loss will not be significant.

However, Wolverton residents say the building will reduce daylight in the windows of one house by 100% for 6 months per year.

The group also pointed out that there is a lack of fire safety plans for the building, as the application was submitted in 2019 - 17 months before new post-Grenfell guidance requiring major applications to have a 'Fire Statement' came into force.

Kingston Council's documents say it will require the development to submit a Fire Statement as a condition of approval for the plans.

But members of the association believe this should be done before it is approved to account for any redesigns that are needed.

Read the Council's full report HERE