PLANS have been approved to develop 40 new apartments for elderly residents next to a care home to help create a specialist centre.

AMS Care has had plans granted for a new specialist centre in London Road, Bowers Gifford, next to its current two-storey care home Gifford House.

The new care facility will see 40 apartments, with a cafe, a residents’ lounge, a specialist gym, cinema, kitchen and laundry site, wellness and consultant rooms, and a guest suite.

The firm has said the scheme will provide an “opportunity for older people to live independently in self-contained accommodation while having access to 24 hour, on-site care and a range of community and shared facilities”.

They add: “The aspiration is for residents to lead an active and fulfilling lifestyle in a supportive environment that can adapt to changes in healthcare and support needs over time.”

The new facility is based next to Gifford House, which is a two storey care home for those over 60 which provides accommodation along with specialist nursing, palliative, and dementia care.

These new plans will provide an “alternative living choice” on unused land which is already within the ownership of the care home.

In the report, it stated that Essex County Council sought a £3,112 contribution from the development to support the expansion of nearby library services to meet customer needs generated by these plans.

However, council officers said under CIL regulations “no evidence has been put forward as to the requirements for library condition and therefore it cannot be secured in this case”.

Craig Rimmer, Conservative councillor responsible for Pitsea South East, was disappointed the plans were approved.

He said: “I am very disappointed there was no agreement for libraries as this would have been useful for these residents.

“Since it has been passed already, and developers are under no obligation, I still encourage them to work out a solution and support our libraries.

“There is a need for these homes but there was no affordable housing element to it.”

The building is to be laid out over three floors and will also provide 28 parking spaces.

AMS Care state that between 20 and 40 full and part time staff will be employed as part of the proposed development.

The site does lie in green belt, however the officer states this is “very special circumstances”.

They added: “It is considered that the very special circumstances put forward in support of the application would outweigh the harm to the green belt.”