From campsite to care home plan for Butlins

Jan 31 2008 by Peter Collins, South Wales Echo

A CARE home for the elderly could be built on part of the former Butlins holiday camp site on Barry Island.

The future of the Nell’s Point site has once again been thrown into doubt after plans to build a “tourism university” on the land fell through due to a funding gap.

The idea of using part of the site as a care centre comes as Vale of Glamorgan councillors continue the battle to reverse a massive budget deficit in social services.

The crisis has been made worse by steep increases in private care home charges which have added about £1m to the council’s costs.

The authority is now looking to provide new care complexes to reduce costs.

But Vale of Glamorgan council leader Margaret Alexander has acted quickly to scotch rumours that the entire 11-acre site on Nell’s Point could be developed as a care complex.

She said that only one and a half acres of the site could be used for a care home development, and such a scheme was not certain.

Coun Alexander stressed: “Our commitment to develop Barry Island is total as should be evident from the efforts we made last year to get fairground rides on the promenade at very short notice when other proprietors let us down.

“We believe we have worked with the traders on the Island over this last year to encourage people to visit. Why would we wish to change now? We are also working extremely hard to get retail and entertainment outlets on the Barry Waterfront so that both the Waterfront and the Island can complement each other.”

She continued: “The Cabinet is also fully committed to developing extra care housing for our elderly people throughout the Vale.

“It occurred to us that if, on the 11-acre Nell’s Point site, there was possibly one and a half acres going free we might be able to utilise it for one extra care project.

“Elderly people have spending power as well.

“They like to go out for a coffee or a drink in the pub, perhaps play computer games in the arcades. One or two have even been known to go for a dip in the sea. After all, they knew Whitmore Bay well as children.

“But our first priority on Nell’s Point is to attract good quality tourism facilities.”

peter.collins@mediawales.co.uk