Plans to replace the Fordland’s care home with a new building – to be run by Octopus Healthcare – have been thrown into confusion after a judge ruled that the planning permission is invalid.

As the existing care home (now empty) had operated on the site for many years, the case revolved around whether the planning committee was correctly advised on the level of unmet demand for care beds in the area.

Officials say there is an estimated shortfall of 663 residential and extra care places for over 75’s by 2020 and a 1,490 shortfall by 2030.

Residents who opposed the new building felt that it was overbearing.

In is rather novel in York for objections to elderly persons accommodation to cause a row. Usually it is specialist student accommodation plans that raise peoples wrath.

The £10 million investment in the site would have provided 64 beds and created 64 full and part time jobs,

It is possible that the applicant may now simply reapply for permission with the correct care bed demand figures being reported to the committee.

However the planning opening date of mid 2019 now seems optimistic.