Former care home could become rental accommodation

Greenford Care Home on Nelson Road, Gillingham, was closed in 2021

A former care home in Kent could become a 16-bed property housing rental tenants after plans for the site were resubmitted.

Medway Council has received a part-retrospective application to turn Greenford Care Home in Gillingham, which closed in 2021, into a rented property, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reports.

The building is currently used by students and professionals as accommodation, and the latest planning application is to formalise the arrangement, according to the documents submitted.

In February, the applicant Kunle Awosanya made a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) application but that was refused as planning officers said he needed to justify the loss of a care facility.

The officers also found the initial design of the proposed HMO as "too-cramped" to house 16 occupants.

The resubmitted plans include an additional kitchen and expanded two bathrooms.

The ground floor would have seven bedrooms, two kitchens, three bathrooms, a living room and community room.

The first floor would have nine bedrooms and two bathrooms.

According to documents seen by the LDRS, the applicant said there were sufficient care facilities within the area.

When Mr Awosanya purchased the building in March 2022, he had plans to use it as an assisted-living facility.

He gained permission from Medway Council in 2023 and registered with the Care Quality Commission.

However, four attempts to tender care services with the authority were rejected.