HEALTH chiefs fear a proposed care home planned for a leafy Trafford village, where an "affordable room" would cost £650 a week, would be too expensive. 

Octopus Healthcare bosses want to build a 72-bed facility in Hale Barns. 

They plan to bulldoze a house in Bankhall Lane to make way for the home.

Care UK would operate the home on a leasehold basis.

The plan is to offer 10 residents "affordable rooms".

The other 62 people will pay privately for an undisclosed amount.

Trafford’s children, families and wellbeing (CFW) services department fears that if residents who pay their own way run out cash, the council would be forced to step in and pay. 

The town hall has already had to raid its reserves to prop up ailing social care services.

Bosses increased the social care element of council tax bills by 2 per cent, which will raise £1.7 million.

Another £1 million was taken from reserves.

Bosses at Trafford’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said they were concerned the development was targeted towards a "high-end market" and "would not deliver affordable care". 

A council planning document stated: “The CFW services have drawn attention to the challenges facing the public sector as a result of the existing care home market in Trafford.

“Particularly the southern part of the borough is seen as an attractive place to live in the latter stages of life.

“It witnesses an influx of population from across Greater Manchester and Cheshire who seek to utilise the older persons’ accommodation.

“However, the cost of this care is, on average, higher than in other parts of the sub-region.

“For example, bed rates per week within a Trafford care home can be up to £500 higher.”

The statement added: “A further problem arises due to the amount of self-funders in Trafford.

“When a self-funding resident’s funds are exhausted then it falls to the local authority to step in.”

The CCG, which is responsible for planning and commissioning the borough’s health care services, said this type of investment in Trafford could be beneficial.

“Particularly that which is seeking to provide specifically for dementia patients,” the report added.

“However, at the outset the CCG expressed a number of deep-seated concerns regarding the basic matter of the site’s suitability for a care home development.

“The importance of locating new development in accessible locations is a fundamental principle of good planning.

“The CCG also expressed concern that the development is targeted towards a very high-end market and it would not deliver affordable care that would be accessible to all.

“There is a significant mismatch between what the application would deliver and what the CCG regards as being suitable in meeting residents’ needs and delivering best practice.”

Octopus Healthcare described the proposal as  sustainable and "future-proof".

“The proposed scheme will provide high quality care for frail, elderly residents comprising a range of residential, nursing and dementia care services,” bosses said in a statement.

“In particular the home will address a local need for new, high quality accommodation including the provision of specialist dementia services.

“The facility would be run by qualified, highly experienced and empathetic staff, where people living with dementia can receive the best possible care, support and stimulation.”

Octopus Healthcare said the development would also generate between 60 to 80 jobs.

Members of Trafford council’s planning committee will make a decision on the application next week.