Plans for over 120 flats for key workers by Surrey hospital approved

More than 120 flats for key workers have been approved for next to Ashford Hospital.

Spelthorne Borough Council’s planning committee gave the council consent to build 123 flats and four terraced houses on the former hospital car park in Town Lane, Stanwell, which is now owned by the council.

The committee was told the development behind Tesco will include 22 affordable homes (17 per cent) and all remaining 105 units will be prioritised for local NHS workers.

Suzanne Rankin, chief executive of Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said sustaining services at the hospital was “a real challenge, particularly in terms of workforce supply and retention”.

She said: “Being able to offer those colleagues quality housing that is affordable is a really important element in our strategy to meeting those ongoing sustainability challenges.”

There will be 79 two-bed and 42 one-bed apartments, in buildings ranging from two to five storeys.

If not taken up by NHS workers, they are to be offered at affordable rents to people on the council’s housing register.

The sizes of five gardens have been improved since the planning committee raised several concerns in a meeting back in January.

There was no change to the number of car parking spaces, which remains at 127. These will include 30 electric vehicle charging points, while photovoltaics will contribute 18 per cent of energy, greater than the 10 per cent required by the council.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service objected to the application on the grounds of an existing barrier between the site and Victory Close restricting access to fire engines.

Officers said that access would most likely be from London Road and Town Lane but it could be dealt with at the building regulation stage.

Cllr Robin Sider (Con, Shepperton Town) said the council officers’ report justified the application on the basis of the borough’s housing need, adding: “But there are several shortfalls against the local planning authority’s guidance, most notably the separation distances.

“At one point there is a separation distance of only seven metres.”

Six members voted for the development and four against.