Well-known truck-stop cafe set for demolition under major plan

A care home looks set to be built in a Derbyshire village on the site of a popular truck-stop cafe. The plans, from Leeds-based firm LNT Construction, would see a 66-bed care home built on the site of the Salt Box Cafe on the corner of Derby Road and Station Road in Hatton, close to the A50.

South Derbyshire District Council officers have recommended that the plans are approved at a meeting on Tuesday, November 12. They say the council and Derbyshire County Council, which has disputed the current need for care home beds in the district and ability to recruit to the new jobs, have some concerns about the proposal.

The 66-bed care home would specialise in dementia care, have 25 parking spaces and create 55 jobs – 33 full-time and 22 part-time. County council officials have “concerns regarding the impacts of a new residential care home on the existing care home workforce” and “dispute the need for 111 market standard care home beds, whilst recognising the need for homes registered to provide dementia care”.

District council officials detail: “There are issues with recruitment to carer roles in the area and it is therefore considered unlikely that the roles will be filled by local people.” A total of six objection letters have been submitted to the district council over the plans, detailing an under-pressure sewage system and drainage issues due to the under-construction neighbouring 385-home Bellway Homes housing development, along with a lack of pedestrian access for what is a busy route.

District council officials write: “The applicant confirms the need for such provision and notes in their experience that the provision of private care facilities increases capacity in other local facilities as some residents choose to select these facilities. Officers accept this position and are unable to find a policy justification in this regard that would support any refusal or condition based upon the need for affordable provision.

“In respect of care home staffing comments are noted, however availability of staff is not understood to be a material consideration in planning terms and the provision of additional labour market opportunities if a defined economic benefit of the scheme. On this basis, and having regard for the absence of a policy implication for this it would not justify a refusal of the application.

“The loss of a cafe and truck stop are acknowledged however these are not considered to robustly outweigh the benefits of the scheme.” The developer has committed to giving £6,325 for a travel plan to assist with public transport improvements and a legal agreement will be made to secure funding for improvements at Wellbrook Medical Centre, with £23,760 requested from NHS officials.

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