Coventry Health Authority is seeking legal advice after Coventry City Council threw out plans to build a home for the mentally ill.

The planning committee rejected the plan to build a 20-bed home at the former Amanda Bevan Rehabilitation Centre after visiting the site.

But they went against the advice of their full-time officials who suggested there were no grounds to reject the application.

While residents living close to the site at Grange Road, Longford, celebrated today the Health Authority convened an urgent meeting and then announced through a spokesperson that they were taking legal advice.

The spokesperson would not say to what the legal advice related or whether the Health Authority was considering an appeal against the council decision.

Residents, who had campaigned long and hard against the proposal to build the home, were jubilant. Protesters waved placards and banners as the council committee conducted its site inspection and today protest leader Joan Hill said: "We are ecstatic."

The committee rejected the application by a vote of five against three on the grounds that the development was too large and would cause noise and disturbance to neighbours.

The Health Authority argued that the home was vital for the welfare of Coventry people recovering from long term mental illness.

Sue Hunt of Coventry Healthcare NHS Trust said that the decision jeopardised Coventry’s entire health strategy and money for the scheme, which had to be spent in the financial year, was now at risk.

Ged Lancaster, campaign manager for the residents association, said they would now continue their campaign to persuade the Health Authority and the Healthcare Trust to build a community health centre on the Amanda Bevan site. He said they hoped for Single Regeneration Budget funding to achieve their aim.
  

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