Revised plans submitted for 70-bed Chard care home

The Maria Mallaband Care Group teased details back in February 2021 of a new care home on the A30 East Street, near the town's Lidl supermarket.

Following nearly three years of delays (caused in part by the ongoing phosphates crisis), Somerset Council formally green-lit the plans in May 2024.

Country Court Care has now submitted amended proposals for the facility, with construction expected to begin by the spring of 2027 if approval is forthcoming.

The site lies on the southern side of East Street, opposite the entrance to Clark's Close and very close to the Happy Return public house.

Revised plans for 70-bed care home on the A30 East Street in Chard (Image: Osmond Tricks)

A new access road will be created onto East Street opposite Derhams Removals, similar to the access secured under the 2018 planning approval (which gave permission for 78 flats within the same footprint).

In addition to the vehicular access, a new footpath will be created to access the main road between 12 East Street and The Happy Return.

The care home will house up to 70 residents across three storeys, with multiple lounges and dining areas being provided along with an outside activity lawn to the west and informal green space at the eastern edge (near the back of the Lidl store's car park).

Following recent changes in government building regulations, the intended gas boilers in the facility will be replaced with air source heat pumps, which will be installed on the roof of the care home.

A spokesperson for Osmond Tricks (representing the applicant) said: "We are developing the detailed design for the building in preparation for construction; however, in doing so, certain elements of the design have been adjusted and therefore we are submitting this application to address these changes.

"The majority of the these changes are as a result of updates to building regulation requirements, in particular those relating to overheating and the internal comfort of building users."

Country Court Care currently operates a number of care homes across the south west - including The Laurels on Westfield Lane in Draycott, which secured permission for a major expansion in December 2025.

The new Chard facility is expected to create between 60 and 80 jobs once it is fully operational, on top of short-term jobs created during the construction.

The council is expected to make a decision on the revised proposals by Christmas, meaning construction could begin early in the new year if approval is granted.