Plans to demolish empty care home in Copthorne and replace it with a new one approved

The application for Francis Court, in Borers Arms Road, was given the nod by the planning committee on Thursday (March 21).

The 87-bedroom care home was built in 2009 and was bought by Care UK in 2012.

But faults with the building saw the company close the home and move its residents elsewhere while offering staff positions at its other local facilities.

Care UK’s new care home will have 78 bedrooms and will be built largely on the footprint of the old one.

A spokesman for the company said the decision to rebuild was not taken lightly.

She added: “We would not be proposing to rebuild the care home unless it was absolutely necessary.

“The redevelopment and re-opening of the home will allow Care UK to once again provide much-needed residential, nursing and dementia-specific care to 78 new residents, reducing pressure on local health facilities.

“It will also improve the layout of the home, helping to prevent disease transmission for diseases such as norovirus, as well as future-proof the home against potential future pandemics like Covid.”

The care home will include 29 parking spaces, two disabled spaces and an ambulance bay.

It will employ 90 mostly full-time staff, working in a morning/afternoon/night shift pattern.

The application was approved by 11 votes to one.

To view the plans in detail, log on to pa.midsussex.gov.uk and search for DM/23/2360.