Proposals for a new care home in Broughton look set to be approved.

A Touch of Spice was demolished last year and developers have tabled amended proposals for a new two-three storey retirement home on the Broughton crossroads.

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A previous scheme, which included shops along the ground floor of the building, was refused by councillors on Preston City Council’s planning committee in January last year.

Developers Midas Land Ltd put an amended building plan, without the shops, in and it was due to be discussed in March but was deferred as it was recommended for refusal.

Planning agents PWA Planning say they have made amendments to address concerns with the scheme raised by planning officers.

Two separate buildings would be put up on the former restaurant and car park. A total of 52 retirement apartments would be within the two buildings.

Broughton Parish Council have led objections to the scheme, stating even with the amendments, the plans should be refused.

Parish council chairwoman Pat Hastings said: “The Parish Council still opposed to this planning application on the grounds already submitted and cannot understand why the planning department would recommend in March that this is refused and now recommend approval. The delay agreed at the planning meeting was because the applicant was submitting redesigned plans.

“Yet these new plans still have two blocks whose height is overbearing and overlook the surrounding properties, the balconies emphasis this.

“The parish council have received a considerable number of comments on this development. The consensus do not want the site to remain empty and welcome older person apartments in principle, but they object strongly to the overbearing nature of proposed development especially the buildings height.”

A total of 99 objections, as well as from Preston Rural East councillor and deputy Preston Conservations leader councillor Ron Woollam, have been received calling for the amended retirement home plans to be refused. Three letters in support of the application have been received.

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Planning officers, in recommending the scheme for approval, state: “The proposed use of the site for extra care accommodation be acceptable in this location, as the proposed development would introduce a compatible use in the village centre on a vacant brownfield site.

“The setting of relevant non-designated heritage assets have been assessed, and it is considered that the identified harm would be outweighed by the significant public benefits to be delivered by the proposed scheme.”

The site was previously The Golden Ball pub and the building was where the Broughton Catholic Charitable Society was founded in May 1787. A blue plaque had been fixed to the former restaurant building.

Councillors are due to hear the plans at a virtual meeting of the city council’s planning committee on Thursday (June 11).

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