PLANS for a retirement complex with bungalows, flats and a care home, on green belt land, have been scaled back. Great Broomfield Developments Limited submitted plans for the demolition and partial demolition of existing commercial buildings and construction of six retirement bungalows, 29 retirement apartments and a 70 bedroom care home at Great Broomfields, Cranfield Park Road, Wickford.

These plans were submitted to Basildon Council in December 2022 and later withdrawn in late 2024. Basildon Council's planning committee was set to refuse planning permission at a meeting last November but the planning application was withdrawn prior to the meeting.

Now, Vescoe Limited has submitted its proposals for demolition and partial demolition of the existing commercial buildings, construction of two retirement bungalows, 26 retirement apartments and a 70 bedroom care home at the same site. 

The latest plans state that the site is made up of land formerly associated with Great Broomfields, a Grade II Listed Building, and comprises a fully enclosed area of land with tall hedges.

The plans state: "A total of 55 car parking spaces are proposed. One parking space per retirement unit will be provided, 28 in total.

"The remaining 27 spaces will be allocated to the care home. The development would be restricted to those over the age of 55 but is expected to primarily appeal to, and be occupied by, those over the age of 75 needing and receiving levels of care.

"The expectation is that 31 per cent of homes provided on site will be affordable, which in this instance would equate to nine of the 28 retirement homes proposed, exclusive of the proposed 70 bed care home."