Plans to demolish the former Richmond House nursing home in Farsley have been submitted for determination.
As previously reported by WLD, the home closed last year due to Leeds City Council budget cuts. It’s planned to clear the site for redevelopment, potentially for local authority housing.
Applicant Leeds City Council states: “The demolition of the building will mitigate the ongoing operational costs of holding the property, including security and maintenance costs, whilst also reducing the risk of anti-social behaviour which disused buildings can often attract. Whilst it is acknowledged that re-use of the building would be preferable to demolition, following an options appraisal process there are no alternative uses identified.”
Contractors will manually soft strip the inside of the building, which dates back to 1971, first segregating the materials that can be recycled, then the demolition of the main building will be carried out in a controlled manner.
The plans can be viewed in full here.
Richmond House was a 20-bed residential service in Richmond Road. It offered short-term care and support to people who require convalescence following a hospital admission. Council officers last year said average occupancy since 2018/19 was 55 per cent and its gross budget was £742,000.
The closures have previously sparked a fierce political debate.
Follow WLD‘s ongoing coverage of Richmond House closure here.