Care home approved despite concern over carbon footprint

By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter

A care home with a cinema and hair salon for dementia patients in Fulham has been given the go-ahead.

Hammersmith and Fulham councillors approved the development of the 81-bed care home in Hurlingham Road during a planning meeting on Tuesday, despite initial concern about the property’s carbon footprint.

Labour’s Wesley Harcourt said it was an “absolute crying shame” the building would only reach a carbon saving of 18 per cent, which he pointed out was well below the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s target of 35 per cent.

Conservative councillor Alex Karmel said for a new build, that figure was “appalling” and questioned how the application, which had been previously refused by the council then overturned on appeal, would help Hammersmith and Fulham reach its clean borough target.

He said: “Since the appeal decision, we have declared a climate emergency and I actually have difficulty, having declared a climate emergency, that this figure on a new build is coming in so low. We’re trying to be the cleanest borough in the country and this ain’t gonna help.”

A supporter of the development said it would help meet the borough’s need for care home beds, which they said was expected to reach 268 beds by 2026. 

They also hope it will free up 20 homes in the borough per year as residents seek care at the Hurlingham Road property.

Pictured top: Hurlingham Road, Fulham (Picture: Google Street View)