A new Ipswich care home for older people and a wellbeing centre which will offer day care clubs and activities for older people who live independently in the wider community have been granted planning approval by Ipswich Borough Council.

The new home and adjacent wellbeing centre will be built on the site of the former Chantry Infant School in Aster Road in Ipswich, which was demolished when the school moved to the adjacent primary school site.

The new care home, which will accommodate 80 residents and will provide nursing as well as residential care, was given the green light at Ipswich Borough Council’s Planning and Development Control Committee.

Chris Hopkinson, Regional Operations Director, Care UK, said: "We are very pleased to get the go ahead to develop our first new care home and wellbeing centre in Ipswich, which is the first in a carefully coordinated and phased investment programme which will help meet the increasing demand for modern older people’s care including specialist dementia services."


Care UK's construction partner for the new build will be Castleoak, a highly regarded company that works exclusively in the care sector.

The design of the new care home, which will provide nursing care and specialist dementia care services, is spacious, light and airy, with many communal areas for residents to meet with family, friends and fellow residents. The generously sized bedrooms are all ensuite with shower facilities and to give a homely feel, small groups of residents will share their own dining room and lounge. The new home also has a garden and sitting out area and attractive facilities including a café and hairdressers on the ground floor and small cinema on the upper floor.

The wellbeing centre will provide day care activities and clubs which will help older people to maintain their independence for longer in their own homes and give valuable respite services for family carers.

The planning approval for the new care home in Aster Road is the first successful application in what will be a carefully coordinated and phased £60 million investment programme by Care UK in ten new care homes and ten wellbeing centres in the county between now and 2016.

(CD/GK)