Breckland Council has approved plans for seven new bungalows to be added to an existing gated community in Saham Toney, near Watton.

The new dwellings, managed by Enable Healthcare Solutions, will add to the four homes already at the site, which are designed for elderly people who need daily and continuous care.

Residents are provided with 24-hour on call support, are allowed to have visiting family stay the night and are also permitted to keep pets.

The site is set to expand with seven new bungalows (Image: Breckland)

The application was recommended for approval despite conflicting with local planning policies on rural development, and a highways objection which said the site was too far from local services.

Saham Toney Parish Council also raised concerns that the plans did not include enough detail about how it would cater to the safety of the residents and said the location was unsuitable for expansion. 

Planning officers concluded that a recorded shortfall of 504 specialist care homes in Breckland outweighed those concerns.

Speaking at the meeting this week, Conservative councillor Helen Crane said: “This proposal offers something different, something compassionate, which allows people to get care while maintaining dignity, companionship and a sense of home."

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