Mixed views on residential care home and care apartments bid at the derelict Benfield Motors site in Morpeth

Plans have been drawn up to create a care home and a number of care apartments on the site of the former Benfield Motors showroom, in Castle Square near one of the entrances to Carlisle Park.

As well as the formal comments that have been submitted in response to the application, people will have another avenue to have their say as the date and timings for a public drop-in at Morpeth Town Hall later this month have been confirmed.

After many years and the subsequent acquisition of a number of neighbouring properties adjacent to the original Benfield site, developer Roseville (Hillgate) Limited was finally in a position to submit a bid to Northumberland County Council for a total of 105 apartments – a combination of 81 single bedrooms and 24 suites – late last year.

Those supporting the application include Francis Walker, who has lived in Hillgate for over 80 years of his life.

He said in his response: “Since the garages were vacated, Hillgate has been turned into an eyesore.

“Improvement on the scale that these proposals can achieve can only bring a much better future for the area.”

Miles Hewitt’s submission includes the following: “Not only will the entrance to Morpeth be considerably improved and become attractive, the scheme will encourage more people to live in the town centre.”

However, Jonah O’Brien said in his response to the bid: “I do not believe that another care home is acceptable use for limited land within the town centre. The land would be better put to use as social housing to combat the housing crisis or business units to help promote more small businesses.”

The Morpeth Antiquarian Society sets out in its submission why it believes the proposed development is at least a storey too high overall as it would affect views of Ha’ Hill and Morpeth Castle.

The drop-in at the Corn Exchange of Morpeth Town Hall will take place on Saturday, January 27 from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

Roseville spokesman David Nicholson said: “As well as the developer, people can also ask lead architect Katherine Pimblott, who lives in Morpeth, questions about the development.

“There will be lots of information and people can also submit comments to us.”