A CARE home is being built on the site of a former garage in the heart of Leamington after developers won a planning appeal.
Restful Homes Group is set to build a 74-bedroom care home in Russell Street which will create around 100 jobs.
The multi-million pound home will include mini cinema, a café for residents and visitors, a hair salon, and a roof garden.
Restful Homes was granted planning permission – after initially being refused – and will now convert the grade two listed Abbey House into staff offices, while the previous Midland Autocar premises will be demolished.
Tim Malby, director of locally based Kingmaker Developments acted on behalf of Restful Homes throughout the acquisition and planning process.
He said: “There is a significant shortage of quality care accommodation in the area and Restful Homes is able to offer dignified elderly care in a relaxed, spacious and homely environment. Some residents may be able to take accompanied short trips to the shops and staff will benefit from the sustainable location.
“Restful Homes is one of the most successful and largest family-owned operators with many homes across the Midlands and we are looking for more. It is great for Leamington town centre that this redundant site has finally been unlocked and it will significantly enhance an overlooked area.”
Development of the one acre site is set to start later this year.
The site was marketed by commercial property agents Reeves & Partners.
Richard Pomfret, managing director at Reeves & Partners, said: “A lot of local developers had looked at the site over the last few years but planners had always indicated that they wanted to encourage employment and residential use on the site.
“Restful Homes has been able to tick all of the boxes not only bringing fresh inward investment approaching £10million to the town centre but also the prospect of 90 to 100 new jobs.”
Nick James, partner at Warwick-based architects Robothams, was appointed to oversee the design and planning process.
He said: “We were extremely pleased to have been granted planning permission. The Government inspector was very complimentary about the scheme which will not only provide high-quality accommodation but will also bring positive economic benefit.
“We are now in the process of preparing documents to go out to tender and look forward to the start of development work later this year.”
