Churchill Retirement Living plan 29 new apartments in Didcot

Churchill Retirement Living, of Hampshire, have applied to South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, to build 29 apartments including communal facilities, car parking and landscaping.

The development would be on the corner of Foxhall Road and Broadway where the former Shell filling station was until it was demolished in 2018.

The bedrooms range from one to two bed.

The site is about 0.2 hectares and the 3-storey building will be “L-shaped” with an internal courtyard.

Inside there would be a concierge reception, a lounge with a coffee bar, an accessible toilet, a guest suite and a central lift.

The site the garage was at until 2018.

Each apartment would comprise of one or two bedrooms with different requirements to “accommodate a wife range of people”. There would be one parking space per three apartments and a provision for mobility scooters.

Developers suggest that the village will create 72 construction jobs, 80 supply chain jobs, two direct jobs and three supported jobs.

It is at the old Shell garage site which was demolished in 2018.

In the design, planning and access statement, Planning Issues Ltd, on behalf of the developers, said: “The fact that we are all living longer should be a cause for celebration, as more people are able to enjoy a long and fulfilling retirement.

“However the vast majority of our housing stock is not built with the needs of older people in mind. It is estimated that there will be a shortfall of 400,000 purpose-built homes for older people by 2035.

“Building more specialist homes to meet their needs works better for them but also frees housing stock for younger people; building more retirement homes benefits all age groups.

“The proposed building is of traditional design and is key corner development on one of the main routes into Didcot town centre.

“The proposed design is of a high quality and contextually led which will result in a development that is successful for the future residents, applicant and townscape.”

A mock-up of the guest suite.

Didcot Town Council has recommended the plans be rejected due to the lack of amenity space and the parking layout making it difficult for drivers to turn around.

It said: “The committee were concerned to see that the current layout for parking does not allow entry and exit in a forward gear. There is no turning circle available and due to the close proximity to the zebra crossing, this could potentially cause accidents.

“The committee was also concerned to note that the lack of amenity space available to the residents and the potential for a poor living environment, especially in the southwest corner of the site.”

Didcot Town Council are concerned about the parking space.

The district council hopes to make a decision by June 14.