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25 Jul 07Progress On Plans For Fourways Centre
Plans to develop a new Fourways Day Centre in Poole providing better care facilities for disabled people are set to take a significant step forward.
A report recommending the go ahead for the redevelopment scheme at the Fourways site on Constitution Hill Road has been approved by the Council following a recommendation from the Cabinet.
In supporting the scheme, members agreed to allocate an additional £1.5million towards the cost of the project.
Plans for redevelopment of Fourways include the creation of a new Well-being centre, which will offer improved day care facilities for disabled people, in particular individuals with profound disabilities. Dedicated space will also be provided for the charity Headway Dorset 
which provides services for people with acquired brain injury. The scheme will also support a minimum of 17 affordable housing units.
In addition to the Well-being centre, the plans include the development of a residential care home, run by Care South, providing 80 bedrooms for dementia patients. Part of the existing site will also be developed for private housing, offering a mix of flats and family homes.
Outline planning permission for the development was granted by Borough of Poole’s Planning Committee in April.
Cllr Elaine Atkinson, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Well-being and Housing, Borough of Poole, said: “The Council is committed to these ambitious plans to redevelop the Fourways site. The creation of a new Well-being centre will maintain services for existing users and offer much-needed facilities fit for the 21st century.”
Susan Willoughby, Chief Executive of Care South , said: "Care South is delighted to learn that the proposed programme of redevelopment on the Fourways site has received the go ahead and looks forward to the opportunity to build a new dementia home to meet the needs of older people in Poole."
The Well-being centre will open in 2010 with work due to start on the project next year. Current services will move to temporary accommodation on the Fourways site to ensure minimum disruption to existing users.
People using the Fourways Day Centre, along with carers and staff, will continue to be kept informed as the project develops and encouraged to take part in consultation as detailed planning progresses.
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