Dementia Home wanting to expand into semi detached neighbour

brindlebum

We have been put into a situation with our house that we’re not quite sure what to do.

We own a large semi-detached Victorian house, the other side of which is next door to a detached, fairly substantial nursing home which caters for dementia patients. The home is made up of a terrace of three houses which they have expanded onto another previously detached house, so it has a pretty large frontage already.

The nursing home have decided they wish to expand. Their proposal to do this is to buy our adjoining neighbour’s house from them and build across the gap to make it part of their existing property.

Obviously, this is terrible for us. We have a young family (5 year old and a 5 month old) and quite apart from the renovation it would mean them growing up subjected to the noise of dementia patients. Additionally, our house goes from being a nice semi detached to an end of terrace on the end of a massive dementia home. Hardly a desirable purchase should we ever wish to sell.

They’ve come round to discuss these “preliminary plans” they have. Our response has been that we would clearly object to this as it brings nothing but negatives for us and that we would rather sell our house to them than they go ahead.

We’ve spoken with our neighbours who said that they’re not hugely keen to sell and would only do so if the money was right. The trouble is, our street offers really good value for the area. Our houses were approx. £200K – for similar sized houses on other streets you really are looking at £270K+.

Our trouble is, we don’t really know where we stand and we’re not really in control of what happens here. They haven’t specifically asked to buy our house, so clearly it’s not their preferred option. My question really is:

Does it sound likely that they would be granted permission to go ahead with their plan A of buying the neighbours’ house and converting it? Do we have a strong case – as an individual house – of standing in their way given that they will massively impact our lives? It is our opinion that something such as a dementia home should be a detached property – is it likely our local authority will share this view?

Riggyman

Arson. Make the problem go away.

booksurr

take your prejudices elsewhere and move accordingly

Person_one

booksurr wrote: »

take your prejudices elsewhere and move accordingly

I think that's really harsh.

If a house came on the market that was basically stuck on the end of a huge dementia care home, would you buy it?

I don't really know what to suggest OP, but I do feel for you.

iammumtoone

I wouldn't say that living next to a dementia home is going to be an issue or grounds for planning objection.

I think you are more likely to have a case that your home will lose value from becoming a terrace when you purchased a semi.

Keep_pedalling

My mother is in a residential care home, which has a dementia unit attached, and I can't say I have ever heard lots of noise coming from the dementia unit.

Your fears are unjustified so stop being such a NIMBY.

elsien

I think some of you are being unfair to the OP. I wouldn't want any big business involving lots of people suddenly becoming attached to the side of my house, regardless of the type of business it is.

Care homes of any sort potentially have call bells, staff shouting to each other, more traffic/staff/visitor comings and goings than your average family home. And some people with dementia do make more noise - my grandmothers home had someone who screamed "help me" day and night. Yes, you can get antisocial neighbours, but I would argue the noise potential is higher from a business.

OP, you need to think about material considerations. Loss of value is not one of them. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/faqs/faq/4/what_are_material_considerations

Doozergirl

How semi-detached is the semi from the terrace?

Your argument for planning reasons may be based on the proposals affecting what planners call 'the street scene'. Streets often have patterns of terraces or semis or differing housing types. Merging a terrace and absorbing a semi could affect the 'pattern of development' and possibly result in crowding of the street scene or simply overdevelopment.

A change of use is also required from a dwelling to nursing home. Depending on the current pattern and weighting of residential and business use, one could argue that the balance was being tipped away from simple dwellings.

I think there is something to be said against having a very large terrace with one simple family home tacked on.

Soneone suggested that the devaluation of your house was an argument. It is not a valid argument for planning reasons.

I don't think it sounds like typical nimbyism, I don't know for your street but think there are potential planning reasons why this doesn't work. It might be worth paying for an hour of a planning consultant's time.

Rambosmum

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

My mother is in a residential care home, which has a dementia unit attached, and I can't say I have ever heard lots of noise coming from the dementia unit.

Your fears are unjustified so stop being such a NIMBY.

Depends on the type of dementia unit. I know some with very volatile, aggressive and vocal residents. I wouldn't want to live attached to one.

davidmcn

elsien wrote: »

I think some of you are being unfair to the OP. I wouldn't want any big business involving lots of people suddenly becoming attached to the side of my house, regardless of the type of business it is.

Indeed, I would say a change of a semi to any sort of non-residential use (while the other semi remains residential) sounds rather odd and the sort of thing the planners are unlikely to be keen about.

Chanes

Dementia is a horrible condition and can lead to serious and violent behaviour and loud and vicious outbursts. I know the OP is picking up some flack for being concerned about this but I would worry about this too and it is not about being NIMBY it is about much more and is an incredibly hard situation to be found with. I hope for the best resolution and I do not envy the OPs position in handling this in a sensitive way/