Blackburn specialist care home plan for long disused mill site

Exemplar Health Care Services Limited have identified the land west of Moorgate Street in Mill Hill for the development.

It has applied to Blackburn with Darwen Council for planning permission for the construction of a 33-bed specialist care home with landscaping and parking.

The site overlooking the Leeds-Liverpool canal is vacant following demolition of the former Millgate Mill in 2008.

It has been the subject of several previous planning applications for new homes and currently has approval for 20 houses and flats.

News of the proposal has been welcomed by Mill Hill and Moorgate ward’s Cllr Damian Talbot who is also Blackburn with Darwen Council’s health boss.

Just south of the proposed development is Moorgate Place which has 20 apartments for the learning-disabled and vulnerable which opened in 2014.

Exemplar secured planning approval in March for a similar 34-bedroom complex on 1.5 acres of land in Wytham Street, Padiham.

Supporting documents with the application say: “Exemplar specialise in providing high-quality specialist nursing care for adults with complex needs.

“They currently have over 35 specialist homes across the UK and have highly-trained nurses and support workers experienced in caring for people with a wide range of needs such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s Disease, complex dementia, acquired brain injury, spinal injury, mental health conditions and rehabilitation.

“Exemplar are seeking to provide more specialist care homes across the country where there is an identified need.

“This application proposes the construction of a three-storey building with 11 rooms on each floor.

“The facility will provide 33 bedrooms for residents, including two hoist bedrooms located on the ground floor.

“All bedrooms will have full private en-suite facilities including showers. Large, assisted bathrooms will also be provided on each floor.

“Amenity areas such as dining rooms, lounge rooms and quiet areas will be provided on each floor.

“Community facilities include therapy, staff training and relative meeting rooms.

“The proposal would bring the site back into use and would contribute to the borough’s specialist accommodation.

“The proposal is an ‘L-shaped’ three-storey building facing onto the Leeds-Liverpool Canal as well as Moorgate Street.

“The proposed care home would generate new jobs.”

Cllr Talbot said: “Local residents are desperate to see this site remediated and developed – particularly those living in Bentham Close.

“There have been several planning applications relating to this site, but so far none appear to have come to fruition.

“There is potential for a really nice development to match the existing Moorgate Place scheme.”