THE site of a former care home in Poole has been retained by the council for another much-needed residential care home.

Mitchell House, a 50-bed home at Canford Heath for people with dementia, closed this summer and residents moved out.

This followed a change in the contract between Borough of Poole and Care UK and demolition of the ageing building in Mitchell Road is due to take place next year.

Now the council’s cabinet has agreed to commission a business case for a dementia care home in the town, which has a recognised a shortage of residential and nursing care for people with the neurological condition.

The site is said to be suitable for a care home of 60 to 80 beds or for extra care with accommodation for 60 to 75.

Funding options include the council raising the funds, building and running the home in-house, or building it and leasing the home or to go out to tender for a developer to design and build it.

Cllr Karen Rampton, cabinet portfolio holder for health and well-being, Borough of Poole said: “The existing building at Mitchell House was not suitable for modern dementia care, with rooms lacking en-suite facilities, and extensive and extremely costly refurbishment required, which would have ultimately not provided a long-term solution.

“The decision to close Mitchell House was extremely difficult, but we feel that a new development on the site will offer far better facilities to Poole residents.

“Following approval by cabinet to retain the site specifically for adult social care use, work will now begin on detailed proposals for a new care home on the site, which will provide much-needed specialist dementia care in a building that is fit for purpose.”

Poole has higher numbers of older people than the national average.

There are currently 1,554 beds in Poole for older people with 575 of these for older people with dementia.

The 2011 census estimated a rise of people with dementia in the town from 2,625 in 2015 to 2,938 in 2020.