Castle Club to Be Converted into Care Home
33 rooms planned in dementia friendly facility
An artist's impression of the new glazed care home. Picture: Ten Wandsworth
The historic Castle Club in Fulham looks set to be turned into a 33-room dementia-friendly care home.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council this week approved plans to demolish the the grade II-listed gothic revival building’s summerhouse, and refurbish its interior.
The old house In Broomhouse Lane, close to the exclusive Hurlingham Club, opened in 1854 and was formerly referred to as the “Elizabethan School” and specialised in care for children with tuberculosis.
It is currently vacant, and a council report said its condition is “neglected” and “suffering from decay caused by water ingress and wet and dry rot”.
Surrey-based developer Ten Wandsworth wants to build a three-storey glazed extension to provide the care home accommodation. The existing club house would be converted into a kitchen and office space.
The grade II-listed Castle Club in Fulham. Picture: Ten Wandsworth
The company’s application said: “The site will provide a home for residents when they reach a stage of needing 24-hour nursing care. Most, but not all, residents will be senior (over 65 years) as the risk of dementia increases with age.”
Hammersmith and Fulham’s planning committee voted five against two in favour of the plans on October 15.
The meeting heard that the borough has the sixth lowest provision of care homes in the country, and the lowest in London.
Labour councillor Wesley Harcourt wasn’t happy about the prospect of the 1920s summerhouse being demolished.
He said: “I do think it’s very important that we look after listed buildings in the borough and anywhere. I’m not very happy about that.”
Tory councillor Alex Karmel was concerned about a lack of car parking spaces, and pointed out that the nearest tube station is over 900 metres away.
A planning application to turn the building into a school for 700 pupils was rejected by the council in 2017.
Owen Sheppard - Local Democracy Reporter
October 18, 2019