£4m day centre plan on former John Summer High School site gets thumbs up

Members of Flintshire Council’s planning committee have given the go-ahead for a new learning disability day services facility, with a sensory garden, at the site of the former John Summers High School in Queensferry.

The new building will replace the Glanrafon site on Chester Road West – described as “not fit for purpose” by councillors at County Hall in Mold yesterday.

Neil Maddocks, the application agent, told the committee the new 0.66 hectare development would provide “high value and quality respite care” in a “highly functional building”.

Mr Maddocks said the new development had “potential for community use” and could be a “valuable community asset”.

The sensory garden and planting were added to “increase biodiversity” and the building was “constructed with sustainability in mind”.

The existing site and new building provides respite care for 50 adults with complex care needs.

It will be situated on the north east side of land formally comprising a part of both the buildings and playing fields associated with the now closed John Summers High School.

The building will provide activity rooms, care support facilities, café and dining space, and ancillary office and meeting rooms.

Cllr Christine Jones, committee member and Flintshire Council cabinet member for social services, said the application would replace a building which had “served the community well” but was “no longer fit for purpose”.

“Much-improved” care and support facilities would provide a “welcome bonus” and be an “altogether much more pleasant experience”.

Cllr Sean Bibby, Shotton West, said it was a “fantastic development for the Deeside area” while Cllr Richard Jones, Buckley, felt that in terms of value for money, the possibility of improving the existing site should have been considered first.

Cllr Ian Dunbar, committee vice-chairman, said he hoped the existing Glanrafon name would be maintained at the new site.