Abandoned care home moves closer to demolition

A disused care home that has attracted squatters, drug users and arsonists has moved a step closer to being demolished.

The former Ada Belfield site on Field Lane in Belper has been derelict for six years since the new Ada Belfield Centre was built on Derwent Street.

Belper North councillor Ben Bellamy revealed demolition and planning permission had been submitted for the site.

"For a development site in the town, it's absolutely perfect," he said, "Frankly, everyone's fed up with it, so I do hope this goes through."

Bellamy remembered the site as a "wonderful care home" that had become a hotbed of criminal activity.

"It just keeps getting intruders and there's reports of windows getting smashed, fires being set in there, drug use, anti-social behaviour and the neighbours are frankly fed up with it," he said.

Jonathan Davies, MP for Mid Derbyshire, joined the local residents' push for demolition and said they were "rightly spitting feathers about it."

"The owner of the site's got a moral obligation to secure it, clean it up and redevelop it," he said.

Amber Valley Borough Council said it had been working alongside Derbyshire Police to take steps to protect the site from unwanted behaviour.

Now council planners have to decide whether to allow the demolition to proceed.

Both Davies and Bellamy said it would make a great development area for new housing and expect a decision to be made within six weeks.

Local resident, John Nelson, said he has his "fingers and legs crossed" that permission is granted and the land is put to better use.

"If a developer could come along and buy the other side, and this side, I daresay, we might get a Marks and Spencers," he said.

The owner of the site did not respond to our request to discuss the site and its future.

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