A five million pound plus scheme to demolish a nursing home and former hotel and replace them with a state-of-the-art care facility has been approved by the borough council.
The proposal will see the multi-award-winning Eversley Nursing Home in North Denes Road, Great Yarmouth, enlarged from an 18-bed facility to one with 39 bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms.
The development will generate nearly 20 extra jobs, ranging from nurses and support workers to domestics.
Lowestoft-based Kingsley Healthcare, which owns Eversley, acquired the neighbouring Arden Court Hotel in a deal costing a substantial six-figure sum.
Planning permission has now been granted for the scheme which will be completed in two phases.
First, the hotel will be demolished and replaced with modern care home facilities.
The residents of Eversley will then be moved into the new building before the existing nursing home is knocked down.
The second wing of the enlarged Eversley will then be built and joined on to the first one on the Arden Court site.
Demolition work is expected to begin on the hotel in early summer with building working getting under way in the autumn.
Operations manager Chris May said the constant, strong demand for places at Eversley, which specialises in palliative care, had shown the need for a larger home.
He says: “Eversley is very highly regarded. Our latest Care Quality Commission report rates us good overall and good in every category apart from the home’s leadership, which is rated as outstanding. We will continue to provide outstanding care and hopefully this will be recognised with an outstanding rating overall next time.
“The home has also been awarded beacon status by the Gold Standards Framework, a prestigious accreditation for palliative care, and we are proud to have just been recognised as a top 20 recommended care home in East of England by review site carehome.co.uk.
“With more beds available, we will continue to specialise in palliative care but be able to take more general nursing cases as well.”
He said the new home would have far more space with improved living areas and better storage.
Home manager Ewa Kujawa, who has won several awards including, most recently, regional winner in the Great British Care Awards, says: “Residents and their families love the homely feel of Eversley as it is now, but the rooms are really quite small.
“The increased space of the new build will make it easier for us to offer the highest quality of care; the comfort will be especially important for families wanting to stay with their loved one 24/7 during end of life care.”
Pictured: Kingsley investment manager Muj Malik, home manager Ewa Kujawa and operations director Chris May look at the plans.
