Too many pensioners? Inside the town divided over plans to build its eighth care home

They sound like the perfect neighbours – elderly, quiet and seldom seen.But plans to build a new 66-bed care home for pensioners has divided the community of Diss.If approved in a planning meeting today, it would be the eighth nursing home in the tiny Norfolk town, in addition to 23 residential care homes.Around a quarter of the town's population is already aged 65 or over, compared to an average of less than one in five across the UK.The ageing demographic has led to some objecting to the planning application, amid claims the community is being turned into an 'old people's town' which 'stifles economic progress'.There are also concerns about the size of the building, which at three storeys would tower over neighbouring residential properties and rob them of their privacy.Others disagree, accusing the dissenters of 'discrimination' and arguing older people need 'somewhere to go'.The dispute comes at a time when the debate over elderly and social care has been reignited by Prime Minster Andy Burnham's vow to solve the issue. The proposed 66-bed care home for dementia patients in Diss, Norfolk, has divided opinion The proposed site for the LNT Care Developments home is surrounded by existing facilities for the elderlySuccessive governments have failed to tackle the problem, despite the ageing population and pressure on services including hospitals, due to the astronomical cost.The planning application for the new care home in Diss was submitted by LNT Care Developments, which describes itself as 'the UK's leading specialist care home provider'.The facility would be on the site of a feather factory which went into liquidation in 2022. Part of the site has already been approved for a new Aldi supermarket, which is now under construction.LNT Care Developments describes the home as providing round-the-clock specialist residential and dementia care, while transforming an unused area into a 'state-of-the-art, purpose-built care home'.But among those raising concerns about the plans yesterday was one local, who said there needed to be 'balance' in the local population.The woman, who lives near the proposed site but didn't want to be named, said: 'The town and especially this bit of it already have enough care homes and it's changing everything.'Obviously I've got nothing against old people but it nice to have a mixture [of ages]. I know some young people who are thinking of moving away because they want more people their own age.'Another commented: 'We're surrounded by care homes here and it's getting ridiculous.' Around a quarter of the pretty market town's population is aged over 65, compared to under one in five nationally Opponents of the new care home say the town needs a more balanced demographic Former school caretaker Keeley Rose, 55, siad there 'are a lot of old people in Diss' but added: 'I will be one of them eventually.'Former school caretaker Keeley Rose, 55, who was shopping with her daughter, Brianna, 29, said the 'lovely market town' had changed in the 30 years she had lived there.'Slowly they've let more people in and they've built more houses and we had the immigration issue here with the hotel and the shops have disappeared and they're not being replaced,' she added.'Both my parents ended up in a care homes but you can't blame it on care homes. They [the local authorities] haven't invested in Diss.'The town council is right. There are a lot of old people in Diss and I will be one of them eventually.'Sheila Levitt, 80, and her husband Ray, 81, who moved to the town two years ago to be closer to their son, bought a newbuild retirement cottage next to the proposed care home.Mrs Levitt said: 'We could do with some more shops for the younger people.'We were laughing after we moved here. There's a care home there and the funeral directors across the road. It's all on our doorstep.'She added: 'Someone came around to show us the plans for the care home. Sheila Levitt, 80, pictured with husband Ray, 81, said: 'There's a care home there and the funeral directors across the road. It's all on our doorstep.''We didn't like it. It looked like a big, square box. The plan looked awful.'Nathan Doe, managing director at John Doe carpet and furniture store, said: 'You do see in comments by the general public that they'd like to see more excitement in the town.'There were a few people locally who had made comments about their hopes for that Aldi site.'We have no major entertainment sites, no cinema or a bowling alley.'However, he blamed problems with 'economic growth' on problems such as soaring business rates.Formal objections on South Norfolk Council's planning portal includes one which states: 'It feels like the town is being made into an old people's town.'Another person complained: 'Diss already accommodates several elderly care facilities.'A development of this scale risks turning the town into an ageing community, potentially discouraging younger people and families from settling here.' The town already hosts seven nursing homes, in addition to 23 residential care homes De Lucy Care Home provides 'award-winning' facilities for 60 residents, according to the town councilFurther warnings included: 'Diss is tired. I cannot see how this will help commerce and business to give our youngsters reason to stay and thrive in Diss.'Diss Town Council's formal rejection of the scheme in June last year explained members had 'expressed grave concern at the current extensive range of facilities for older people in Diss'.It continued: 'Today there are around a dozen such facilities in Diss providing services across a wide spectrum of care settings ranging from a Nursing Home, Care Homes and numerous residential settings with warden support and communal facilities.'Across the road from the proposed development is Parkside Court providing 41 one and two-bedroom flats, whilst Churchill homes, less than 200 metres along Park Road provides 73 properties (58 apartments and 15 cottages).'De Lucy Care Home operated by Greensleeves provides care home facilities for 60 residents. This is an award-winning service.'Given the density of provision some of which have been referred to, there is concern that the economic and demographic profile of Diss is becoming unbalanced to an extent that will stifle the economic progress of the town.'Graham Minshull, who represents Diss on South Norfolk Council, yesterday insisted the population was 'slightly older [than average] but it's not to the detriment of the town'.He added: 'The company applied for a care home which is about 100 metres from residential homes. An Aldi supermarket is already being built on the site of the former feather factory'They want to put a three-storey building on the site. It will be next to 50 of the residents and overlook their gardens.'Every other building in the town is no more than two storeys. They said that did not fit in with their financial model.'Down by the railway station we already have planning permission for a large care home which I was happy to support and that was approved and that's not been built yet because there was no demand for it.'We have Churchill Retirement Village which has been there for four years and that's half empty.'The design of the care home was altered last year following the town council's objection to its 'oppressive and domineering' appearance'.But in October it rejected a revised plan, stating 'instead of reducing in size, it has now become larger through the application of a pitched roof'.Meanwhile, Norfolk County Council has raised concerns that there will be traffic problems including local road congestion.Recent figures show Diss has a population of 9,861, while the number of people aged 65 or over had reached 2,640 – meaning more than a quarter of the occupants are in that age bracket. The average in the UK is just 19 per cent. The feather factory, which went into liquidation in 2022The number of people in South Norfolk aged over 65 increased by 30.1 per cent between 2011 and 2021, according to Office for National Statistics figures.But plenty of residents in the pretty town, which was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 and whose historic buildings include an early 14th-century parish church and a corn hall dating from the 1850s, argued in favour of the care home.Army and RAF veteran Bill Woodley, 87, said: 'There aren't enough care homes and people have to have somewhere to go.'I feel a bit uptight about [the town council's comments]. It's the lack of respect.'Brandon Allardyce, 29, said the town council's report was 'discriminatory'.He added: 'I don't blame elderly people for wanting to live here because it's so beautiful and peaceful.'A former teacher who gave her name as Jacqui, 58, branded the town council's attitude 'ignorant'.She said: 'Old people have to live somewhere. They're not lepers. You can't ship them all off to a colony and ignore them. Brandon Allardyce, 29, pictured with daughter Shiloh, two, said: 'I don't blame elderly people for wanting to live here because it's so beautiful and peaceful.''Diss used to be a lovely market town and it's gone downhill but you can't blame that on older people.'Andy Burnham has said we need to look at adult social care because the NHS is under huge strain.'Care homes are not just for older people but for disabled people too.'Diss Mayor Declan Craggs told the Mail: 'References made during earlier discussions by the town council regarding the balance of housing and services within the town were intended to reflect wider considerations about future community planning and the range of facilities available locally.'They were not intended as criticism of older residents or a suggestion that they are unwelcome in Diss.'He added: 'Our main reason for the objection was the massive scale of the building. There are three storeys which we felt was not in keeping with other buildings in the area.'The other primary issue was when the Aldi building was built they used a method of construction called piling which caused some damage to the neighbouring properties. Our concern was that this method of construction was to be used for this care home.'The average weekly cost of care homes in the UK is now £1,298 for residential care, £1,535 for nursing care, £1,343 for specialist dementia care and £1,583 for nursing dementia care, according to carehome.co.uk.This translates to £67,496, £79,820, £69,836 and £82,316 per year respectively.However, costs are highest in London and the South East, while cheaper care is available in the North-East and North-West of England and Wales.Full self-funding is required in England and Northern Ireland if a resident's capital exceeds £23,250.The upper limit in Scotland is £35,000, while in Wales it is £50,000.Mr Burnham – whose own father is living with Alzheimer's – has called for other political parties to build a 'spirit of collaboration' in tackling the country's social care crisis.But funding the system has remained the stumbling block for governments over decades and there are concerns that the Prime Minister's £18 billion plans to provide social care free at the point of use will see him replace current inheritance tax and impose a ten per cent charge on all estates after the owner dies.Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said private sector care providers look at a range of factors before investing in new facilities, including the price of land, likely demand and the availability of local labour to act as care staff.'One of the features of our current social care system is therefore that its domination by the profit motive leads to some places having lots of care provision and others not enough,' she added.South Norfolk Council's planning committee is due to rule on the care home application today.In a statement yesterday, it said: 'As with all planning decisions, the committee will decide to approve or refuse solely on the merits of the application in front of them.'LNT Care Developments were contacted for a comment.