A CARE home in an Edwardian house is to be closed and demolished to make way for a bigger modern successor.

Residents of St Ives House, near Ringwood, will be offered places in the new building, as will staff.

The home, which has 23 beds, is run by the TH Russell Charitable Trust, which is partnering with Dorset-based trust Care South in the new building.

Planning permission has been given for a development that would house 60 people in a home, 14 in ‘close care’ apartments and four in ‘close care’ cottages.

Care South chairman Felicity Irwin said: “At the moment the home is an Edwardian home. The home is a bit small and it’s in a very large site.”

Consultation with residents is taking place until March. Residents will be supported in moving to other local homes and will be given priority when the new home, also called St Ives House, opens.

The project is expected to cost around £10m and be finished by October 2016.

Susan Willoughby, chief executive of Care South, said: “We tried very hard to keep the building but it became impossible. We saw we could use a number of elements of the building. Some of the hanging tiles will be kept to keep the spirit of the home as it was.”

The new home would include a specialist dementia unit with a courtyard garden, she said, taking advantage of up-to-date approaches to designing buildings for people with dementia.

Felicity Irwin said Care South would work to ensure the transition went smoothly. “It’s all a very gentle and supportive process,” she said.

“It’s a great investment for Care South and for the community. We’re excited that it’s a flagship in Dorset.

“It’s something that we’re moving forward in conjunction with another charity for the benefit of the community.”