Colne House Care Home's new extension given green light

Colne House in Earls Colne will be building a collection of new specialist care bedrooms as it expands its services.

The 3.7-hectare site is operated by Kingsley Healthcare which provides nursing, residential and respite care for adults, including people with dementia and mental health needs.

The plans include demolishing the existing five-bed annex and constructing a new two-storey extension with underground link to provide an additional 27 specialist care bedrooms with car parking and landscaping.

Elsewhere on the site, additional parking will be provided, with the existing 23 spaces increased to 40.

The new building will provide 32 beds, with all rooms having en suite wet rooms.

The building will be designed to provide nursing care for residents with a "higher level of dependency due to their frail nature and medical requirements”.

Day spaces such as a café, hair salon, quiet lounges and activity rooms to serve the existing residents in the main building will also be provided.

In addition, a dedicated kitchenette and changing/shower rooms would provide enhanced facilities for staff.

The home says the new purpose-built facilities will “better meet current care standards”, as this has been “lacking in the existing buildings”.

The plans were discussed at a Braintree Council planning meeting earlier this week.

Colnes councillor Gabrielle Spray said: This is in my ward I know the site very well - it is not far from where I live in the village.

“I’m pleased to see this come forward. As a care home it is already well-regarded locally.

“I like the design of the new annex. I think its sufficiently different without looking out of place.

“All in all, I think this is a really good design, well thought out.

“It’s been a little while coming forward, but this is because quite a lot of thought has been put into it.”

The proposals were unanimously backed by the planning committee.