Former Wesham Park Hospital site may become new care home development

The old Wesham Park Hospital, off Derby Road in the village, has been earmarked for a proposed two-storey, 66-bedroom care home specifically designer for older people.

Documents have been lodged with Fylde Council's planning officers for its consideration, which has come about due to a 'undersupply' of care home spaces in Wesham and the surrounding area.

Luke Thorpe, planning manager for LNT Construction, which is overseeing the proposals on behalf of sister-company LNT Care Developments, said: "The proposals are for an important community care facility, that will address critical needs to increase the available supply, diversity and quality of care-beds.

"Residents and employees are also expected to come from within three-miles of the site, which will ensure that current local residents will be the first to benefit from the accommodation, employment and training opportunities to be made available."

Within the 26 separate documents lodged for the development, the design and access statement states: "LNT have extensive understanding of care bed supply and needs across England. At current, we have identified an undersupply of 36 bedspaces within three miles of the site and 157 within five miles."

It was demolished last year and NHS Property Services said the repurposing of the site would help the NHS make 'significant savings on running costs and better use of the space'.

The nearby Wesham Hospital Rehabilitation Unit, in Mowbreck Lane, which closed around the same time as the hospital, is currently undergoing a refurbishment and is set to be reopened as a "community-facing rehabilitation service" after plans by Lancashire’s mental health trust were given the green light in August last year.