Ground broken at 64-bedroom care home site near Liss

Work on a 64-bedroom care home on the border of East Hampshire and West Sussex has begun.

Barchester Healthcare has broken ground on the Wenham Holt nursing home site off the B2070 London Road in Hill Brow.

Planning permission was approved just over two years ago by the South Downs National Park Authority with the former 44-bedroom Victorian building since been pulled down.

A purpose-built development will take its place with work being overseen by Kori Construction.

The new home, which has yet to be named, will be operated by owners, Barchester Healthcare, and will provide personalised residential, dementia and respite care for older people in the Liss area.

It should open by mid-2028 with the development aiming to meet some of the “large and growing need” for elderly accommodation in the South Downs National Park.

“We are really excited to get this project under way,” said Barchester senior property development manager, Grant Jensen.

“Our Liss home will be a fantastic addition to the local community.”

Craig Smallman, Contracts Manager for Kori Construction, said: “Everyone at Kori Construction is delighted to be starting this new project working with Barchester Healthcare once again.

“We are very much looking forward to bringing this project to life. This new home will be a brilliant addition to Liss and will serve the community well.”

A spokesperson for Barchester said the “luxury” new home has been designed with residents’ comfort in mind with a café, spa bathrooms and en-suite bedrooms with smart TVs.

“There’s also a choice of comfortable lounges, a dedicated activities room, a cinema for an authentic movie experience, and in-house hair and beauty salon for a little bit of pampering,” added the spokesperson.

The home will also provide a dedicated Life Enrichment programme which includes a choice of daily activities so that residents can continue to do the things they love, try something new and above all keep the enjoyment in every day.

The previous building closed in early 2023 for refurbishment but concerns were quickly raised about its poor maintenance, structural issues and dampness, with Barchester believing the building had “reached the end of its useful life”.

An S-shaped building was proposed in its place with the two-storey structure boasting multiple gables and a modern brick finish.

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The care home will have an on-site marketing suite that will open its doors to the local community and visitors in Summer 2028.