AN OUTLINE application for almost 90 extra care apartments at a former Great Sutton school will be decided by the new Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The £12m development, involving 40 one bedroom apartments with a second bedroom available for guests and 47 two bedroom apartments, was originally put forward by Cheshire County Council at the Gorsthills community primary school site on Berry Drive in Great Sutton.

It was recommended for approval at a meeting of the former Ellesmere Port and Neston planning committee but failed on a 4-5 vote after a lengthy debate.

Councillors did not oppose the concept of extra care but sent the plans back for the size and height of the development to be reduced and parking concerns to be taken into account.

The development has now transferred to the new council.

A 20-page report says the part single- storey, part two-storey school buildings have been demolished.

The school was closed under Cheshire County Council’s Transforming Learning Communities programme because of falling pupil numbers across the county.

The application excludes the majority of the playing fields at the school.

It is part of a bid by the former county council to develop 200 extra care apartments out of a total development of 400 apartments on four sites across Cheshire, according to the report.

The scheme includes 45 parking spaces, an increase of five on the earlier plans. Half the apartments would be open market and half social rented or shared ownership.

There would be four full-time staff and eight part-time.

Extra care combines housing, care and support services for older people, typically over 55, with a 24-hour on-site care team and a range of on-site support and communal facilities, councillors heard at an earlier stage.

A community village which would also be available to non-residents, would include a fitness and wellbeing studio, treatment room, hairdressing, a hobby/craft room, an IT/reading room, dining area, lounge and ‘village hall’.

There would also be a residents’ launderette and a separate lounge together with a communal garden including a greenhouse.