A NEW planning application has been submitted for a “continuing care community” at the Wimborne Market site.

McCarthy & Stone’s plans for the “flagship” retirement home were initially refused by officials because a financial viability assessment had not been submitted, avoidance measures for the nearby site of special scientific interest were not included and it did not demonstrate that flood risk would not be enhanced.

The developer has now come back with an amended application, which includes apartments, chalet bungalows and bungalows with communal and care facilities and nine houses.

A statement submitted as part of the application said: “At the outset in response to the comments received, I would a state that the proposed development has been carefully considered and the design is fully justified.

“The assisted living apartment building is located at the heart of the site and encourages the occupants of the adjoining bungalow buildings to conveniently utilise all the community facilities. By its very nature the main building needs to be substantial enough to economically provide these services and at three floors the scheme has a compact footprint.

“In response to the previously noted comments from the planning authority the design team further reviewed the overall form of the apartment building and made a number of revisions to the profile and mass of the building.

“This included reducing the height of the end of the projecting north wing from three storeys down to two and reconfiguring the recessed roof element.

“In addition, the roof at the end of the southern wing was realigned to further step down the line of the eaves and produce a low profile.”

A heritage statement said the “principal” objective was to avoid harm to designated heritage assets.

It said: “The amendments to the apartment building facing the site edge onto Station Terrace have reduced the height of the projecting north wing from three storeys to two storeys and the recessed roof element has been reconfigured, and the roof profile has been amended at the south end to further step down the line of the eaves.

“An aspect of the scheme that is particularly important to the relationship to the immediate setting and to the Station Terrace frontage is the character of the new spaces and the extent of planting proposed, which has been enhanced from the scheme as submitted.

“The scheme now includes a generous provision of grassed areas, new hedge and native shrub planting and biodiverse wildflower areas.

“The submitted heritage assessment concluded that there will be no harm to the adjacent heritage assets as a result of the proposed development and that it would result in a significant enhancement from the existing very poor appearance of the market site.”