Plans to build new 76-bed care home in Kingston criticised

By Ellie Brown - Local Democracy Reporter 9th Dec 2021

Plans for a huge 76-bed care home in Kingston upon Thames have been slammed by locals as they say it's trying to be like the BBC's Call the Midwife drama.

Frontier Estates submitted plans for the build to replace five family sized homes on King Edward Drive in Chessington, but residents say it will 'scar' the area.

Developers say there will be 28 bike spaces with 24 for staff, as well as 20 parking spaces and a minibus to pick up carers for shifts.

But Chris Rand, who lives behind the development, commented on the more bike spaces than car spaces in Kingston Council's south of the borough planning sub-committee yesterday evening (December 7).

He said: "It makes it sound like it's going to be like Call the Midwife – 1950s East End of London, I mean it's laughable really."

Chris added: "The scale of it is far too big. It's imposing. It will be a scar on the area that we live in.

"If it was a reasonable size, and had access in and out on King Edward Drive and it didn't break into Kelvin Grove which is a road that we live in […] I don't think I would have too much of a problem with it.

"Our lives will be will be much the worse for this development in its present form."

Nigel Jackman, who lives in Kelvin Grove, echoed Chris's comments and added: "The development in our opinion is opportunist. We've got five perfectly good residential properties on this site."

Another local John Dixon said: "This is already a highly congested and in my view, somewhat dangerous junction."

He raised concerns of children crossing the nearby roads.

But Damian Wood, development director at Frontier Estates said: "These sorts of developments don't create the kind of traffic that other types of developments do create and we have done a transport assessment.

"We can demonstrate that the net increase in peak hours isn't that much, it's 13 additional trips in peak hour [per day]."

Lib Dem councillor Christine Stewart said: "From my perspective it is very dominant and overpowering."

Councillors said issues with the site included the size and loss of area character, highway safety, not enough parking, loss of privacy, light pollution from the 24/7 care home, air quality, flooding risk, pollution and ambulances getting to the site.

Developers said there will be a parking space for an ambulance.

Plans will go to Kingston Council planning committee soon for a decision.