PLANS for a multi-million pound residential home in Westbury. The Abbeyfield Society is hoping to build the home to provide more community-based nursing care for the elderly.

The home would have 48 beds, including 24 places for dementia sufferers, and is expected to generate between 60 and 70 jobs.

A two-acre site at Bratton Park, Westbury, has been chosen for the project and a planning application is expected to be submitted within the next six months.

The proposed site is outside the development boundary an area where land is only allowed to be built on in exceptional circumstances but organisers of the project believe permission to start work will be given.

A number of individual Abbeyfield houses are already in place in Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon, Warminster and Westbury but the society believes these new plans, which will cost about £4.5m, should provide more extensive care for older patients.

Kathy Green, Abbeyfields' project manager, attended a Westbury town council meeting to make a presentation to the planning committee.

She said: "The society has decided to amalgamate the provision of a facility which will meet future legislative standards with a more community based centre.

"This means more clients can be assisted and kept in their own homes while still having access to support, as and when needed.

"The principle is that clients will be supported from the time they are no longer able to live independently in the community to a point where full-time nursing care is required."

As well as providing full-time care for 48 patients the proposed scheme will have a day centre for elderly people.

Mrs Green said: "Social isolation is often in evidence among the elderly living on their own, so a day centre would give them the chance to meet other people.

"Many of the beds in the local NHS Trust are being log jammed by the elderly who no longer need medical care but for whom there are insufficient alternatives.

"The nursing and dementia places would fulfil this need.

"We know the site is outside the boundary but after years of searching for an appropriate place this really was the only option. I am sure the planning department will see what a worthy cause it is."

The planning committee member were not willing to discuss the project in any detail before plans were actually submitted but were grateful to be filled in on some of the background before plans were submitted.

Cllr Braid said: "It would not be appropriate to discuss it now but at least we will know about it when the application comes in.

"We have listened very carefully to what she had to say and it will help us in coming to our decision."