Midhurst care home plan withdrawn following criticism

The King Edward VII Hospital, in King’s Drive, was built as a tuberculosis sanatorium in 1903 under the patronage of King Edward VII.

Plans were submitted to turn the building into a care home of 84 units and 14 dwellings including care facilities, car parking, landscaping and planting and other works.

On Tuesday (August 30), the applicant, PineBridge Benson Elliot, withdrew the application.

Although originally submitted in December 2021, in recent weeks the plans received huge criticism from a number of organisations in the community who have objected to the plans.

Ahead of the plans being determined, next Thursday, September 8, Midhurst Town Council’s town clerk wrote: “The proposed development would place an undue stress upon the water and sewage system. South East Water has objected to the proposed development and have advised that there is already insufficient infrastructure to adequately serve the existing houses and the proposed additional dwelling will lead to major stress on scare water sources."The Town Council is already concerned with regards to the volume of untreated sewerage currently being potentially released into waterways, and believe this development is very likely to increase that volume and cause further harm.”Water supply and sewerage concerns were raised by a number of stakeholders.Friends of the South Downs, also known as the South Downs Society, strongly objected to the plans too and said: “The proposed development lies in countryside outside a defined built settlement where Policy SD25 of the submitted Local Plan seeks to restrict new development. By reason of its form and Intensification of use of the site, the proposed development would fail to conserve and enhance the special qualities of the National Park."There are no special exceptional circumstances to justify additional dwellings in this location. Furthermore, it is considered that the proposal, as a form of ‘Enabling Development’ provides little by way of benefits over and above that already secured under the original permission and the proposals are, therefore, contrary to Policies SD12 and SD25 of the Adopted South Downs Local Plan.”Easebourne Parish Council’s clerk, Sharon Hurr, said: “The Parish Council would like to begin by expressing its great disappointment with regards to this application considering the body of comment, and SDNPA direction given to the developer following the refusal of the previous application SDNP/19/03904."When development of the King Edward VII hospital site was first initiated, the Parish Council believe that the current, and proposed level of density within the estate was wholly unintended.“The volume of dwellings and number of residents is that of a small village but without any of the appropriate infrastructure or amenities and therefore as a site is not sustainable. The Parish Council consider that should the proposed application be approved, that the site would be significantly over-developed."What should now be permitted requires careful consideration from a practical and aesthetic viewpoint in the knowledge that the focus of the SDNPA Local Plan is to protect and enhance the landscape.”

The application has been lodged on behalf of PineBridge Benson Elliot where Elysian Residences is the operating partner.