Southwark councillors have expressed bafflement over significant delays plaguing the Asylum Road care home project, a vital development intended to address a shortage of nursing care provision within the borough.
Councillor Esmé Dobson, Shadow Deputy Member for Adult Services, voiced her frustration at a recent Health, Adult Social Care and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission meeting, highlighting that the planning application submission for the Asylum Road care home has been pushed back to the end of Quarter 4 of the 2027-28 financial year. This represents a year-long delay from the original anticipated timeline.
Councillor Dobson described the project's progression as bumpy
and noted that the delays are particularly concerning given the pressing need for such facilities. She stated that while she has provided concurrence at each stage, the process has taken longer than expected. The specific factors causing the year-long delay in the planning application submission are not explicitly detailed, but Councillor Dobson attributed the slippage to the planning process itself, which she described as very slow
and noted that she has no special authority to push things through.
A called-in
item was also mentioned as a potential factor, though its impact remains unknown.
The commission acknowledged its puzzlement
regarding the reasons behind the timeline slippage. The Asylum Road care home project is a direct response to the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) findings, which identified a lack of sufficient nursing home provision within Southwark, leading to a high number of residents being placed out of the borough.
David Quirke-Thornton, Strategic Director of Children's and Adults' Services, confirmed that the project is indeed intended to increase nursing care provision within the borough. He explained that the council owns the site and is utilising council funding and Section 106 contributions to provide the care home. Once operational, it will be funded from the adult social care budget. He added that having beds within the borough will allow the council to place residents at its own rates, which will be more beneficial for families and financially prudent. Councillor Dobson stated that we will be able to take every bed in this, in this care home at our own rates, which will be better for people to be closer to family and in borough, but also better financially.
However, specific rates and a direct comparison to current out-of-borough placement costs were not provided.
Councillor Dobson further elaborated on the project's timeline, noting that the planning application submission was originally expected around the current time, but is now proposed for submission by the end of Quarter 4, 2027-28. She expressed regret that the project has taken so long to reach its current stage, especially given the clear and urgent need for the facility. While the meeting discusses the pressing need for such facilities
and the bumpy
and longer than anticipated
timeline, specific alternative solutions or interim measures to address the shortage of nursing care provision during the project's delay were not detailed. However, it was mentioned that The local authority had decided to convert some residential care capacity to nursing care as an interim measure.
Despite the delays, councillors remain committed to seeing the project through, recognising its importance for vulnerable residents and the wider adult social care provision in Southwark. The relevant meeting documents can be found here: Agenda frontsheet and Public reports pack.