LOCAL councillors are demanding urgent action to secure the abandoned former Thelwall Grange Care Home, which they say has become a danger to residents and a magnet for anti-social behaviour.
The Home was closed suddenly following a damning Care Quality Commission report several years ago. Since then, the site has been left to deteriorate, despite limited attempts by the owner to put up fencing and board up windows.
Now local Lib Dem Cllrs are calling for urgent action to deal with the site, which has attracted a lot of publicity on social media via urban explorers who have been visiting the abandoned care home.
Thelwall Grange and local Cllrs Bob Hignett and Wendy Johnson.
Cllr. Bob Hignett said: “Local residents say problems are mounting. The police have been called on several occasions. There have been videos of people breaking in, which have been shared on social media, and so-called ‘ghost hunters’ have travelled to the site. Vandals have stripped copper piping, causing the basement to flood, and the water and power had to be cut off.
“Worryingly, two neighbouring homes are still reliant on the main building for both water and electricity leaving families in a precarious situation. More recently, fly-tippers have also started dumping rubbish at the site.”
Cllr Wendy Johnson added: “It’s completely unacceptable for local residents to be left at risk because of the owner’s failure to properly secure this site. The safety of families living nearby has to come first. This building has been an eyesore and a danger for far too long. Enough is enough. The Council should step in to secure the building properly, and send the bill straight to the owner.
“We will continue pressing for enforcement action to ensure the site is properly secured and insist that the cost should not fall on local taxpayers.”
In 2016 care home provider Smallwood Homes Ltd, the former owner of Thelwall Grange Nursing Home was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £19,283.52 in costs after pleading guilty to eight serious breaches of fire safety regulations.
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said: “This is not a council property and is privately owned. We have served notice on the property owner requiring them to secure the premises and are continuing to liaise with them and their representatives to ensure this happens as soon as possible.”
