Fears over Penicuik's Pentland House care home
The credit crunch may force Midlothian Council to abandon plans to rebuild a home for the elderly in Penicuik.
Last year the authority announced plans for two new care homes, which would increase bed provision from 115 to 161, at sites in Gorebridge and Penicuik.
This summer, the council opened Newbyres Village Care Home, a 6.35m 60-bed facility, in Gorebridge.
This replaced homes for the elderly at Mayburn House, Loanhead, and Newbattle Lodge, Mayfield.
However, despite telling families of residents at Pentland House, Edinburgh Road, that work would start on a second new home this year, there has been no further development.
Warning Penicuik and District Community Council on Monday evening that the care home plans may be revised, Councillor Ken Brown (Lib Dem) said: "There is a bit of a credit squeeze and it has put things in abeyance.
"There are two or three options being considered including an upgrade."
He said the former Ladywood Primary School site in Eastfield Farm Road had been identified as a suitable location for any new elderly care home.
Meanwhile, councillor Jackie Aitchison, Mid-lothian's social work and health spokesman, said: "We know from recent consultation with older people in Midlothian that many expressed a wish to remain living in their own homes for longer.
"As a result the council...have developed a range of new services.
"In some other parts of the country it has proved possible to support more people who might previously have moved into a residential home, much longer in their own homes.
"The next stage is to plan a range of options including extra care houses similar to those currently being built in Gorebridge and to review the provision of local services including sheltered housing and day care.
"Plans will be developed to ensure adequate provision of care home places including the refurbishment, or more likely replacement, of Pentland House.
"These plans will include determining and securing the necessary finance."
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