Care home bid for Tomlinson
A CARE home operator is expected to win approval for a 48-bed facility in North Manchester next week.
LNT Group, which runs Ideal Care Homes, wants to build a three-storey residential care home on the site of the boarded-up Lightbowne Public House in Moston.
The Leeds-based business is owned by Lawrence Tomlinson, one of Yorkshire’s richest men with a fortune estimated at £400m according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
LNT’s interests range from nursing to construction and high-tech engineering. The business owns the sports car manufacturer Ginetta.
According to a report prepared ahead of next week’s planning meeting, Manchester City Council’s supported housing monitoring group noted that LNT’s proposed site was close to two other similar services.
It said there was a need for more care home services across the city but these should not be concentrated in one area. Nonetheless, planning officers have recommended the scheme is approved when the planning committee meets on December 21.
They said: “Although the city council’s supported housing department have some concerns regarding the need for a new care home at this location, the applicant has provided a comprehensive needs assessment that demonstrates that a need does exist for such a facility in the Moston area.
“It is also considered that in addition to the other positive aspects of the proposal, the substantial regeneration benefits that would result due to the redevelopment of the site are the overriding factor in support of the proposal and it is for this reason that the application is recommended for approval.”
