Local planning officers have advised councillors to turn down the application from Legal & General鈥檚 Guild Living business when they meet on 20th October saying it is the wrong development for the town.
In response, Legal & General has complained to the local MP, foreign secretary Dominic Raab, of the council's ageism and marshalled the support of Age Concern and a leading gerontologist.
The proposed scheme by Guild Living would see a retirement village built on the site of a former Homebase in Walton-on-Thames by one of the developer鈥檚 framework contractors, Wates, Morgan Sindall or Sir Robert McAlpine.
The developers take objection to some of the wording of the Elmbridge Borough Council planning officer鈥檚 report, which says: 鈥淭he application fails to support diversity in the town centre, it fails to add to the centre鈥檚 competitiveness and would undermine the vitality and viability of [the] town centre.鈥�
By implying that old people lack vitality, the developers say, and therefore grounds for dismissing the planning application, represents a breach of the Equality Act 2010, the developers say.
They also dispute the assertion that: 鈥淭here is no urgent need for the delivery of any more nursing care bed spaces in Elmbridge for a foreseeable future.鈥�
Legal & General鈥檚 campaign team contacted Dorah May, chief officer of Age Concern Epsom, who said: 鈥淭o suggest that more older residents in Walton-on-Thames town centre will do nothing to enhance the area鈥檚 鈥榲itality鈥� is misguided, inaccurate and, above all, deeply offensive.
鈥淲e urge Elmbridge Borough Council to withdraw such ludicrous comments and see this planning application for what it is 鈥� an opportunity to set a benchmark for how Surrey and Britain as a whole should be looking after the elderly.鈥�
Prof Malcolm Johnson, from the Channel 4 TV show The Old People鈥檚 Home for 4-year-olds, is on Guild Living鈥檚 payroll as a research advisor. He has been professor of health and social policy at the University of Bristol (now emeritus) since 1995 and is visiting professor of gerontology and end of life care at the University of Bath. He said: 聽鈥淎s an academic researcher, who over a long career has been invited to work with and advise many policy making bodies, I am familiar with the age-old prejudices of those who present older people as 鈥榯he burden of society鈥� and make unevidenced generalisations about 20% of our population. That is what鈥檚 happening here. I am shocked, but not surprised.鈥�
Phil Bayliss, CEO of Later Living at Legal & General and chairman of Guild Living, said: 鈥淚t is a matter of great concern that Elmbridge Borough Council is seemingly unaware of both its duty to protect its growing population of older people, but also of a potential breach of the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits public authorities acting in a discriminatory way, including discrimination on the basis of age.
鈥淔ar from depleting 鈥榲itality鈥� in the town centre, this project would place older people where they belong 鈥� right in the heart of their community 鈥� while supporting the local economy and delivering on Elmbridge Council鈥檚 obligation to provide adequate housing for older people. It is my sincerest hope that the council will have a change of both heart and mind and withdraws its recommendation for refusal.鈥�
An Elmbridge Borough Council spokesperson told us: 鈥淎pplication 2020/0832 is due to be considered by the council鈥檚 planning committee on 20th October 2020 at 5pm and has not yet been determined. The application has been assessed against the council鈥檚 adopted planning policies and the NPPF which seek to ensure that development in the borough meet the identified housing need. As part of this assessment officers have considered the need for elderly accommodation as well as the need for smaller market and affordable homes. The council strongly refutes the unfounded allegation.鈥�
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