A HUGE care home will be built on the site of a former gym in Quarry Bank after planners gave the scheme the thumbs up.

Restful Homes Developments Ltd will build a 76-bedroom care home on the derelict site on Thorns Road.

The three-storey building, with a two-storey middle section, will feature en-suite bedrooms, lounge/dining rooms, a café, hair salon and nail bar, as well as staff rooms.

Dudley News: How the care home will look How the care home will look (Image: Robothams Architects)

There will be a rear car park featuring 38 car parking spaces, including three accessible spaces and an ambulance space next to the main entrance.

Access to the site will be via the existing access off busy dual-carriageway Thorns Road, which was used for the previous gym's use.

Gardens will wrap around the middle and rear section of the building.

Dudley News: The site plan The site plan (Image: Robothams Architects)

A retaining wall is proposed on the north-east corner of the site to the boundaries with the properties at 202-202 Thorns Road and to the area of overgrown vegetation to the north.

The initial plans were for a four-storey 93-bedroom care home.

Notes by planners state that: "The application has been through a number of amendments to reduce the scale and height of the proposed building."

One letter of objection was received with concerns raised over conifers on the site being too tall and the height of the proposed building.

Dudley News: The former gym on the site The former gym on the site (Image: Google)

A design and access statement states: "The care home will be the latest development by Restful Homes Group and as such will be very much a state-of-the-art facility.

"All areas have been designed to promote dignified living standards for the frail, elderly and those suffering with dementia."

Planners approved the application stating: "The proposed development utilises brownfield land to provide a new residential care home with 76 bedrooms.

"As a result of the amendments sought, the proposal is considered acceptable with regards to design, occupier amenity, neighbour amenity, highways safety and parking and any further issues will be managed through planning conditions."

Plans to bulldoze the former health club and build a brand new gym plus 26 new homes on the site were given the green light in 2020, but never came to fruition.