Retirement village scheme unveiled (From Gazette & Herald)

Retirement village scheme unveiled for Pickering

7:40am Thursday 7th February 2013 in News

PLANS have been unveiled for a new retirement village in Pickering.

The Mickle Hill Retirement Community complex, if approved, will see 90 care apartments and 78 one and two-bedroom apartments built in Malton Road.

The charity Methodist Homes has submitted proposals to Ryedale District Council and a decision is expected in April.

The scheme would include a “community hub” building housing a restaurant, coffee shop, hairdressing and beauty salons and treatment rooms.

A statement sent to council planners said the applicants had originally looked at building a care home but had amended their plans after discussions with North Yorkshire County Council.

It said some concerns had been raised by the public about the scale of the retirement village, traffic and “an influx of people from outside Pickering”, but the majority who gave their views supported the proposals.

Property firm Savills, the agents for the scheme, said: “There is strong evidence that there is a need to meet the care needs of an increasingly ageing population in Ryedale and particularly in Pickering.

“This proposal reflects the community’s needs and directly supports its health, social and cultural wellbeing.”