Only four residents are left at Granby Way Residential Home

Two years ago, Conservative-controlled Plymouth City Council decided to close Granby Way Residential Home as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

The incensed residents won a lengthy legal battle to stay at the Plymouth home, but were told it would eventually close and no new residents would be admitted.

But the council's new Labour administration now says it has no plans to close the home.

Councillor Chris Pattison, who is responsible for social services and health, went to the residential home to break the news personally.

We dearly hope this means the residents can put behind them the anxiety and distress of the last few years and lead their lives in peace and without worry Councillor Chris Pattison, portfolio holder for social services and health

He said new occupants could now move into the home.

The building is also going to be renamed Frank Cowl House, after a campaigner who lived in the home and fought to secure its future until his death.

Councillor Pattison said: "We made a clear commitment to keeping homes open during our election campaign and are committed to providing quality care for our elderly.

"We dearly hope this means the residents can put behind them the anxiety and distress of the last few years and now lead their lives in peace and without worry.

"This signals a new approach to how Plymouth looks after its vulnerable residents."

Residents battled to save their home for more than two years

The news was greeted with cheers by the four surviving residents of the nine who originally started the campaign to save their home two-and-a-half years ago.

They took the matter to the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

At the end of last year, an independent review recommended that no-one living in the care home should be moved without their consent.

Unit manager Suzy Wells said: "The staff and clients are looking forward to the prospect of new admissions.

"It opens up new doors for the clients, giving them a wider social life and more contact with other people."

One of the reasons the Conservative-run council opted for closure was that the home did not meet strict new regulations.

But a government climb-down on those standards has enabled Granby Way to survive.

The ground floor of the property will now come back into use, for respite and convalescent care, to ease hospital bed-blocking.