A former Isle of Wight care home could be turned into ‘high quality housing’.
Chris Danes of In Safe Hands Home Care Limited made a change of use application to County Hall to convert Bluebell House at 74-76 Mitchell Avenue in Ventnor into three apartments.
Bluebell House Residential Care Home closed its doors in October 2022 due to a ‘lack of staff availability’, according to Mr Danes’s application form.
Former plans withdrawn
In February 2024, plans were submitted to turn the former care home into a 22-room house of multiple occupation (HMO).
These plans were withdrawn in September 2024 following letters of objection from locals.
Properties for people living, staying and visiting Ventnor
The new Planning Statement reads,
“The proposal will bring the property back into residential use so various people living, staying and visiting can enjoy the sea views, surrounding area and everything Ventnor has to offer.
“It is disappointing that the continued use of Bluebell House as a care home is not economically viable based on the historic operations stopping in 2022, various news reports since, and our enquiries with various care home businesses and a commercial letting company, where we found no interest in considering this opportunity or confidence in marketing this opportunity successfully due to the history and state of repair.
“This proposal offers various sized dwellings, from a two-bedroom apartment up to a six-bedroom property, rather than purely converting the building back to two six-bedroom semi-detached houses, as this was in the past.
“There is sufficient parking under the relevant guidance for the proposed dwellings, based on the five spaces available and required.
“This is in addition to being walking distance from Ventnor town and on the main bus route through Ventnor.”
View the plans
You can view the plans on the council’s planning register (25/00196/FUL).
The public consultation runs until 11th April and a decision is due by 5th May 2025.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
