POLICY makers are being urged to look at how care home provision in east Cheshire can be safeguarded.

Members of Cheshire East Council’s northern planning committee discussed how it could prevent the loss of beds for vulnerable, elderly residents at a meeting on Tuesday.

The issue came to light when councillors discussed a proposal to knock down the 19-bed Hillside care home, in Wilmslow, to make way for 14 apartments.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner, Conservative member for Knutsford, said: “In the north of the borough, we have a dearth of beds in the private sector for nursing and care provision.

“While nationally the loss of a care home may not be a problem, in the north of Cheshire East it is a problem, and therefore I was wondering if we should be considering that as a reason for refusal.

“If this were to be allowed, and us not to raise this issue, there may be an inclination towards the landowners to close a nursing home and put apartments on it.

“We have to ensure we have safe housing that meets the needs of the population, and increasingly that will include care homes.”

CEC officer Paul Wakefield confirmed that no planning policy currently exists to protect the number of care home beds available.

He added that Jones Homes is in the process of constructing a ‘good amount of provision’ with a 104-unit care village in nearby Handforth Dean.

But Cllr Gardiner and Cllr Paul Findlow, Conservative member for Prestbury, called for CEC policy makers to look at how to close the ‘policy gap’.

“We all know the difficulty that happens when one of these homes closes, and we have to find alternative accommodation,” Cllr Findlow said.

Cllr Alift Harewood, Labour member for Macclesfield West and Ivy, added: “Moving people from one place to another compromises their wellbeing.

“We are looking at how people can thrive at whatever age they are, and I don’t think this arbitrary movement from one place to another – to move them from Wilmslow to Handforth Dean – is good enough.

“If there are 19 rooms it is not for us to say ‘it is OK, I’ve got somewhere else for you’. Have you asked them? Have they not got a voice?

“I am concerned that we have the wellbeing of trees, but not the wellbeing of people.”

The request for CEC to consider a planning policy on care home provision was recorded in the minutes.