Plans unveiled for new £600k NI nursing home

A planning application to turn the Famous Grouse bar and restaurant into a nursing home has been submitted.
The Famous Grouse in Ballyhegan Photo courtesy of GoogleThe Famous Grouse in Ballyhegan Photo courtesy of Google
The Famous Grouse in Ballyhegan Photo courtesy of Google

The new owners of the Ballyhegan property, Ann’s Home Care, hope to create around 30 news jobs after a proposed investment of around £600,000.

The property was recently sold for an undisclosed figure and the plans are to transform it into a residential nursing home for people in need of care.

A spokesperson said: “If the planning application is successful, the transformation to a nursing home will represent a £600k investment and a well-needed boost to the local economy through the creation of construction jobs and nursing and auxiliary posts once the facility is operational.”

According to the documents submitted the plans are for a 10 bed nursing home.

All the bedrooms are ensuite with either a private shower or bathroom.

Ann’s Home Care is a family-run business, based in Annaghmore and established by Ann and Pat McQuade.

This year the company is celebrating their 25th year of business.

A spokesperson for Ann’s Home Care said: “It is intended that this facility will provide high quality care and support to people with varying levels of need.

“The proposed plans are for a 10 bedded unit, all with fully accessible en-suite and individual wet rooms.

“Each room will be individually decorated, and communal facilities have been designed to complement care packages and will include communal lounges, activities and crafts rooms and quiet rooms.

“Outside, landscaped gardens will lead to recreational space, vegetation plots and a small animal enclosure.”

“The aim of the facility is to provide a low stimulus, homely and relaxed environment,” said the spokesperson.

“Ann’s understand that the functionality of the bedrooms, circulation spaces and internal and external communal areas are important in order to meet the needs of residents with a variety of care needs and thus has been taken into consideration in the plans.

“The facility will provide high quality accommodation to a specification which complies with and exceeds the overarching requirements of the RQIA ‘Minimum standards for Nursing homes’ and that of similar schemes. The design and materials of the scheme have been chosen to be sympathetic to the surrounding residential area and the nearby village.”

Ann’s is currently the largest provider of domiciliary care in the Southern Trust region.

In addition to their work in the Southern Trust, Ann’s Home Care provides care services across the Northern and Belfast Trust areas and in North Dublin. Their sister company Ann’s Nursing Care offers agency work for Nurses and Carers in nursing homes, residential settings and Hospitals, covering the whole of Northern Ireland.

The Famous Grouse remains open for business as a bar until such times as the planning application is successful.

Related topics: