Shadow Minister for Youth, Social Development and Seniors, Linda Smith, is calling on the Minister of the Cabinet and Digital Innovation, The Hon. Diallo Rabain, to facilitate approval for a new 45-bedroom seniors’ residential facility.
This coming after the Development Applications Board rejected an application for the redevelopment of Channel House on Longfield Road, in Southside.
Ms Smith says, “The urgent need for senior care facilities is at a crisis point, which is a major contributor to the lack of available beds at KEMH as patients medically fit to leave have nowhere to go. We also know that there are often long wait lists for spaces at the island’s care homes. We desperately need appropriate facilities for our seniors.”
In a split vote, the DAB rejected an application to convert a large office building into a residential facility for seniors. While recognising the urgent need for residential care facilities the DAB said the application went against a policy of the Bermuda Plan 2018 relating to mixed use zones.
The building, which has been vacant for an extended time, previously housed government offices. The DAB’s rejection of the application noted that its previous use was commercial, and policy requires that the reuse include some level of commercial activity on the ground floor.
A similar DAB rejection for repurposing the former BLDC Head Office, Triton House, for residential use was overturned by the former Minister of the Cabinet in February, who at the time referred to the urgent need for affordable housing. Ms. Smith said the same urgent consideration should be given to seniors.
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