PLANS have gone in at a well-known care home to almost double in size with a new two-storey extension.

Newlands House in Heckmondwike has submitted an application to construct a new extension comprised of ten en-suite bedrooms.

The care home, based in High Street, is home to a number of elderly residents with a range of physical and mental health concerns with varying levels of care requirements.

In the plans, it is proposed than ten new rooms will be built to be used in connection with the existing facilities, but the new rooms will provide a more independent living environment for residents while still being able to provide the levels of care needed day-to-day by residents.

The site is already home to 14 assisted-living apartments to the rear, so the new extension would further increase the level of care that the home can provide.

The expansion will help to meet the increasing levels of care needed by the area’s ageing population, with more older people with increasingly complex care requirements growing.

Describing the need in the plans, the application said: “Simply put the population is ageing and there is a significant need now and ongoing for increased numbers of care home places.

“It is also concluded there is a need for an array of care facilities ranging from homes dealing with dementia where there is a significant need for care, to facilities such as this proposal which still allows for independent living but with any necessary care ‘on tap’ and on site.”

Figures from Kirklees Council included in the plans reveal there are more than 67,000 people of pension age and higher in the local authority, a sixth of its total population.

By 2030 its expected this will rise to a fifth of the population, with the number of over 85s increasing by 78 per cent; this group are more likely to have complex health and social care needs.

These include general age-related disability and frailty, dementia, obesity, depression, poor diets and inactivity.

Most older people are independent but a third of over 75s need help to continue living in their own home. With it, this brings the risk of higher rates of social isolation and loneliness.

These figures, the Council states, means there will need to be an additional 1,144 care home places in the area by 2030 to deal with the additional demand for care, an increase of 52 per cent.

The plans state the care home needs more space, and the planned extension would have no impact on existing residents or neighbours.

It adds: “It is proposed that erecting the extension is a positive development for the care home and will provide much needed quality space.

“There are no effects on the amenities of anybody outside of the site. It is therefore our conclusion that the proposals are supported by planning policy and should be granted planning permission.”

The flats would be built on an area of driveway on the site, protecting existing green space on the site for residents to enjoy.

It will comprise of five rooms on each floor, each with space for a double bed, storage facilities for residents’ belongings, and an en-suite bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower facilities.

The design of the extension would match that of the existing building, which is run by Regency Healthcare.

People who wish to comment on the plans can do so via the planning section of the Kirklees Council website.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk