Council Meeting on Cormiston Road Nursing Home

Council's last meeting prior to Christmas was an extended one with some tough decisions required of those assembled. 

The nursing home on Cormiston Road has become a contentious issue. It was decided that Council must come to a decision based on planning rules rather than any sense of personal response to the design. If an application is refused on anything other than proper grounds, it can be taken to a planning tribunal where it may be passed, with legal costs incurred. 

One of the main complaints submitted regarding the Cormiston development was a lack of car parking. Our planning scheme does not have a category for parking requirements for a nursing home. The closest comparison is 'hospital' – which requires 33 spaces. The plan submitted showed 34 spaces. Clearly the complaint could not be upheld. 

My own final amendment to increase parking by a further five spaces brought a long debate to a close and enabled the application to be passed. I am certain this will go to the tribunal and I will watch it with interest.

Other items on the agenda passed unanimously without much debate. 

On the morning of Council meetings, Councillors hold workshop meetings and discuss many of the matters coming before Council later in the day. Council staff and management are often involved in discussion and asked to provide extra information or plans. This may give the impression that some issues are decided in advance of Council's meeting. However, like any organisation, much of the work is in the preparation.   

Richard Ireland 
Councillor for the West Tamar 

Update on Cormiston Road Nursing Home

There has been a mediation process on the appeal, details to follow. 
13 March 2015 

After a mediation process, the developers have agreed to increase the parking spaces to 50 ( originally it was 28 and my amendment increased it to 33). Some of these spaces will be under the building. The loading bay is also going to moved to under the building so that will alleviate one of my other worries which was the noise from delivery trucks impacting on neighbours. There is also some additional landscaping. With these changes the representors have agreed to accept the development.
March 23rd