Chesterfield site approved for flats for elderly

Plans to build flats for the elderly in Chesterfield which will replace care homes have been given the go-ahead, county council planners have said.

The move is part of a scheme to spend £200m on 1,600 flats to replace existing care homes across Derbyshire in the next seven years.

In February the county council cabinet approved overall plans to replace 20 care homes with flats for the elderly.

The authority said plans were also under way for two other sites.

Derbyshire County Council said Chesterfield Borough Council had approved plans for the site in Foolow Avenue, which included 55 two-bedroomed flats with parking and gardens.

It also said plans were currently being "re-drawn" before being submitted to Amber Valley Borough Council for a second site in Cressy Road in Alfreton, following comments from local residents.

'Super care homes'

The council said plans for a third scheme proposed for Market Street in Clay Cross had now been submitted to North East Derbyshire District Council.

It said care homes earmarked for closure or demolition over the next five years included facilities in Belper, Ripley, Borrowash, Ashbourne and Chesterfield.

The authority said no final decision on which homes would shut would be made until discussions had taken place with everyone affected.

"The extra care housing developments are schemes aimed at older people where they can live independently with their own front door and have 24-hour care on site when it is needed," a county council spokesman said.

The council said it also planned to build two new "super care homes" in Darley Dale and Heanor, which would include hairdressers, a gym and extra provision for dementia care.

It said one such home is already open in Staveley, and one will open in Swadlincote later this year.