A TOWN’S dilapidated former nursing home which is becoming “more run down day by day” can finally be redeveloped.

Since the Treetops care home in Keynsham closed down in 2018, there have been repeated attempts to redevelop the site on St Clements Road.

An application to demolish the building and build 39 flats was dismissed by the planning inspector in April 2022, and an attempt to get permission for 30 apartments on the site was turned down by Bath and North East Somerset Council later that year.

But on February 13, the council’s planning committee finally voted to grant planning permission for a scheme to build 36 flats on the site, with between one and three bedrooms. The development will not include any affordable housing, as the council’s officers agreed with the developer’s assessment that it would not be financially viable.

Kevin Morely, agent for Horizon Developments, told the planning committee: “The application represents 36 additional homes on an allocated brownfield site with very little impact or any environmental harms. The applicant has worked hard over multiple applications and the design team and design review panel to now present members with what hopefully culminates in an acceptable scheme.”

Planning committee member Tim Warren (Midsomer Norton Redfield, Conservative) said: “None of us like the fact there’s no affordable housing. However it is what it is. We need houses; its a brownfield site.”

Duncan Hounsell (Saltford, Liberal Democrat) said: “The site as it is at the moment, is very run down and it’s going to become more run down day by day. It’s important something is done.”

Hal MacFie (Keynsham East) said: “It’s a brownfield site within the housing development boundary. The design is, I think, much improved over previous submissions. And it’s both close to the centre of Keynsham and looking out over very nice countryside.”