Plans for a new 66-bed care home have been sent back to the drawing board after councillors slated its design, with one suggesting it looks like a prison.

LNT Care Developments presented its bid to build the three-storey facility, off Barton Hill Drive, near Minster on Sheppey, to Swale council’s planning department in March.

Minster Parish Council criticised the plans, calling them “fundamentally flawed”.

But officers from Swale council recommended that planning committee members back the scheme.

At their meeting on Thursday (September 14), Luke Thorpe, an agent for the developers, made the case for approval.

“We have extensive experience in developing and operating care homes across the country, having built over 200 to date,” he told members.

“Working with our partners, our care homes have consistently achieved high ratings from the Care Quality Commission with an excellent standard of care provided to our older residents.”

The complex, which could create 62 jobs, intended to provide “general, residential and dementia care,” was set to host a cinema, cafes, a bar, a hairdresser’s, and social space.

Mr Thorpe went on to describe the “extensive landscaped gardens with incredible views over the wider area.”

He said: “This sustainable, healthy and carbon effective proposal will improve the quality and choice of care accommodation in the locality, providing for what older people deserve most – a sense of community and home, a greater quality of life and care and a comfortable, healthy and familiar living environment.”

He added that LNT aimed to have the home built within the next two years.

Some councillors praised the move, with Cllr Peter Marchington (Con) saying: “We do need and are short of old people’s homes, and this is a very good spot for it.”

The site has “open views from Faversham to Rainham, so it’s a pleasurable place to be,” he added.

However, others weren’t as enthused.

“It's way out with no public transport, there’s no amenities,” said Cllr Tony Winckless (Lab).

Cllr James Hunt (Con) criticised the look of the complex, saying: “It’s good that it’s a care home, it is needed, but the design of it I don’t like at all.”

The building would be “basically a mass of brick as you come around that roundabout,” he said, and suggested officers go back to developers to work on a redesign.

Cllr Andy Booth (Con), had stronger words.

He said: “The comment was made – incredible views. The view to the west and to the north will be obscured by nearly 700 houses. That’s an incredible view?”

The site is close to the location for a new 700-home development by Persimmon.

Cllr Booth went on: “The only thing this reminded me of and the only welcome sign this will give, will be to inmates at HMP Elmley, HMP Swaleside and HMP Standford Hill, because this is a pretty much direct replication, forget the colour scheme, of what is there at the moment.”

“The words that we use: quality of life; I put to you chairman, what quality of life?

“Unless you stay inside the building where you have a potentially air-conditioned and quiet quality of life, the mere aspect of opening a window or walking in the picturesque grounds, with incredible views, that’s not going to happen.

“All that said I do understand the need for care homes, I do understand that there is a desire for people to spend their later years in life in peace and tranquillity,” he concluded.

Cllr Booth proposed the development be deferred to allow time for a redesign, which was seconded by Cllr Hunt and agreed unanimously by the planning committee.