A CARE village at Inveresk which will create about 130 jobs has been given the green light by East Lothian Council, despite opposition from health bosses.

The £65m development, earmarked for 5.5 hectares of vacant land at Kirk Park to the rear of St Michael’s Church, will have 59 care bedrooms in a registered care home, 47 care suites and 124 care apartments.

East Lothian Health & Social Care Partnership (ELHSCP) objected to the plan, advising that the care village would “place extra demands” on an already “over-stretched” health and social care system in Musselburgh, specifically on the two remaining GP practices.

A planning report stated: “On the matter of staffing, the ongoing costs of GP provision are a matter for the National Health Service.

“While it is acknowledged the concerns about the effects of unplanned demand, including concerns about the costs of free personal care, this is not a matter that it is possible to resolve through the planning system in general and this application in particular.”

It added: “It would not be reasonable to refuse planning permission on the basis of the impact of the proposed development on healthcare provision.”

Within the care village, there would be a plaza, bowling green, croquet lawn, wildflower meadow, formal and informal gardens, bike and bin stores.

Cinnamon Retirement Living (Inveresk) Limited, the company behind the plan, confirmed that of the proposed 47 care suites, 38 would have one bedroom and nine would have two bedrooms.

Of the 124 proposed care apartments, 10 will have one bedroom and 114 will have two bedrooms.

In addition to care bedrooms for those with high-dependency nursing needs which will be occupied on a traditional weekly fee basis, accommodation will be provided in a range of suites and apartments to provide choice to residents based upon their individual care, support and lifestyle needs, including whether living alone or as a couple.

All residents of the care apartments and care suites will receive a range of core care and support services via a uniform service charge which the applicant is obliged to continue to provide in perpetuity.

The main building will contain the 59 care bedrooms, the 47 care suites and four of the care apartments, as well as restaurant, bar and cafe areas, private dining area, a shop, cinema, library, craft room, studio space, hairdresser and beautician with treatment rooms, meeting/training room, swimming pool with jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and changing facilities, and a gym and fitness studio.

East Lothian Courier: Inveresk care village

At the core will be a dedicated nursing care centre providing access to 24-hour nursing, respite or convalescent care.

Care services concentrate on the provision of “a comprehensive range” of care and support services, including domiciliary, nursing and specialised dementia care.

The facilities of the village centre would be available for use by local community groups, clubs and societies for meetings and functions, meaning that residents could “easily participate” and, at the same time, would provide a “valuable” local resource.

To the north, east and south of the main building, nine detached flatted buildings will be erected, grouped into six blocks which will contain the remainder of the 120 care apartments.

Vehicle and pedestrian access to the site will be by way of a new access road taken from Eskmills Road and formed between amenity housing flats for elderly people and the buildings of Inveresk Industrial Estate.

From this point, the access runs eastwards and southwards past the industrial estate on its west side before accessing the main site.

The site will also be able to be accessed on foot via an existing access point in the northeast corner which connects to Inveresk Village Road and via the existing River Esk path network from the south and west.

Internal access roads, footways and a total of 204 car parking spaces will be created on site for both residents and staff.

Cinnamon Retirement Living (Inveresk) Limited will also provide two minibuses, a people carrier and an estate car which will be used to run regular trips for shopping and to places of interest, as well as taking residents to GP, dentist and hospital appointments.

It is anticipated that the care village will employ up to 131 FTE (full-time equivalent) employees, including specialist care, management, hospitality, retail, beauty and other services, with many of the positions filled by local people.

The plan was approved subject to a raft of conditions and a legal agreement, including provision of electric car charging points and securing a financial contribution to the council of £14,349 for transport improvements – £1,601 for road improvements to Old Craighall Junction, £698 for improvements to Salters Road Interchange, £1,013 for improvements to Bankton Interchange, £1,801 for Musselburgh town centre improvements, £519 for Tranent town centre improvements, £372 for rail network improvements and £8,345 for segregated active travel.

A spokesperson for Cinnamon Retirement Living said: “Last year, East Lothian Council voted unanimously to approve our proposals to build a retirement village on land adjacent to St Michael’s Church, Inveresk, and now that the planning consent has been formally issued, we are excited to be able to press ahead with our plans.

“We are investing close to £65 million to create a fabulous facility for older people in the region with a range of facilities, services and accommodation to help them enjoy the very best quality of life. At the same time we will be creating around 130 full-time (equivalent) jobs for local people, as well as supporting local suppliers and producers.

“We hope to be in a position to start work on site in spring of next year, with the village opening in phases from 2024 onwards.”