A PLAN to demolish a former Ilkley care home and replace it with a new build care home has been submitted to Bradford Council.

Barchester Healthcare Ltd have acquired Hollycroft Care Home and want to knock down the building at 16 Hebers Ghyll Drive, Ilkley and replace it with a new build care home with associated car parking, landscaping and amenity space provision.

Hollycroft Care Home was home to 15 elderly people when it closed in June 2017 and has been vacant ever since.

The building is not listed but it lies within Ilkley’s Conservation Area where it is described as a ‘key unlisted historic building’.

The Edwardian villa was built in 1904 and was converted to a home for the elderly in 1979.

It remained a care home for four decades before its closure by its then owners Four Seasons Health Care in 2017.

The site has been acquired by Barchester Healthcare Ltd who now want to replace the building with a new build 31 bed care home.

A Design and Access statement to support the application says: “Due to the current global pandemic and the lock downs occurring across regions of the UK we have unfortunately not been able to hold a formal public consultation process and with the applicant being one of the UK’s largest care operators their focus has been on the protection of their staff and residents during this time and due to this they have been focusing on their operational standards and procedures which has mean the holding of such events has been both challenging and unattainable.

“During the course of the securing the former Hollycroft care home site the applicant has had informal discussions with local residents outlining the proposal to redevelop the site for use as an operational care home once more.

“In principle no one would seem to have any aversion to the continued use of the site as a care home and the regeneration would help to lift the local area as the building is currently vacant and slowing deteriorating and the reuse of the site once more would improve upon this.”

The proposal is to develop a two-and-a-half storey care home in keeping with the existing care home and influenced by the design of surrounding buildings.

The applicant says the new care home will be a high quality development, with en-suite bathrooms in all care home beds. There will also be wellbeing spaces, including a hairdresser, cinema room, quiet lounges and dining room.Communal gardens and patio areas will be created for the use of residents by utilising the space around the building to all sides. There will be 12 car parking spaces.

It further says the development would lead to the creation of 30 to 40 full time equivalent jobs.