Jobs promise in push for £4.5m Newport care home

A £4.5 million care home could be built in Newport creating up to 100 new jobs, it was revealed today.

The 72-bed facility will be built on green land at the end of Beechfields Way, if it wins the approval of planning chiefs.

Eleven houses would also be created on the site for public sale.

The scheme is being put forward by Shropshire-based Marches Care, which also owns The Uplands at Oxon in Shrewsbury.

Nick Horncastle, for Marches Care, said: "It's a piece of land that Marches Care has owned for a long period of time.

"We used to have a home in Newport so we've seen that there is certainly a need for specialised care in the Newport area."

Mr Horncastle said the home would specialise in dementia.

He added: "We want to try and make a home which will cover all the requirements that a home of this nature will require. We want it to have the latest equipment."

The plans will be on public display on July 26 between 5pm and 7pm at The Cosy Hall in Water Lane.

David Owen, an associate at chosen designers Base Architecture, said: "The £4.5 million project will create up to 100 permanent jobs, many of which will be skilled."

Another developer already has planning permission for a care village with more than 200 units near Mere Park in Newport.

A new McCarthy & Stone retirement development with 53 apartments also opened in the town centre last year and there are other care homes nearby including The Cottage Christian Nursing Home, Woodcote Hall Nursing Home and The Rylands care home.

Patrick Beech, chairman of the Newport & District Chamber of Commerce, said an influx of jobs was always positive news. He said: "I think it's fantastic. Newport needs jobs and we have an ageing population."

But town and borough councillor Roy Scammell said he had concerns about the scheme. "We must have six or seven care homes in Newport already," he said.

"I realise people get old and a lot of people need care, but we do have to be careful that we don't get oversaturated."