Town objects to eighth care home plan amid fears it is becoming a place only for old people and 'stifling economic growth'

Published: 00:01, 28 July 2026 | Updated: 00:06, 28 July 2026 Residents in a small community facing the prospect of an eighth care home for pensioners have complained that it is turning into an 'old people's town'. A developer has submitted a planning application for a 66-bed care facility in a three-storey former factory in Diss, Norfolk. But locals say the increasing number of homes is changing the atmosphere in the area for the worse, while Diss Town Council has warned it is 'stifling economic progress'. Among official objections on South Norfolk Council's planning portal, one person wrote: 'It feels like the town is being made into an old people's town.' Another complained: 'Diss already accommodates several elderly care facilities. 'A development of this scale risks turning the town into an ageing community, potentially discouraging younger people and families from settling here.' Other objections included one that warned: 'Diss is tired. I cannot see how this will help commerce and business to give our youngsters reason to stay and thrive in Diss.' Graham Minshull, a Conservative councillor on South Norfolk Council who represents Diss, also questioned the plan. Residents of Diss in Norfolk are concerned about an eighth care home for older people, pictured here in a computer-generated image, claiming the area is turning into an 'old people's town' 'Is there a demand in the town? I am not convinced,' he said. 'There is issues with the parking as well. There is a lot of issues with it.' But there were some supporters, with couple David and Vivien Osborne commenting: 'If people are living longer you need more accommodation for them.' Recent figures show the town has a population of 9,861, while the number of people there aged 65 or over had reached 2,640 – meaning more than a quarter of the occupants are in that age bracket. The number of people in South Norfolk aged over 65 increased by 30.1 per cent between 2011 and 2021, according to Office for National Statistics figures. The planning application was submitted by LNT Care Developments, which described itself on its website as 'the UK's leading specialist care home provider'. The facility would be on the site of a feather factory which went into liquidation in 2022. Part of the site has already been approved for a new Aldi supermarket, which is already under construction. LNT Care Developments said the home would provide round-the-clock specialist residential and dementia care, while transforming an unused area into a 'state-of-the-art, purpose-built care home'. Recent figures show the town has a population of 9,861, while the number of people there aged 65 or over had reached 2,640 – meaning more than a quarter of the occupants are in that age bracket The 66-bed facility would be on the site of a former feather factory, where a supermarket is already being built following council approval It has already revised plans following a public backlash, resulting in an increase in parking spaces from 27 to 29 and a pitched roof, instead of a flat one. But locals complained the building would still be 'dominant and oppressive' and that the 'bulk and scale remain out of character with the surrounding area'. Owners of neighbouring residential properties fear a loss of privacy, with one, Glenn Smith, saying: 'It is way too big and out of proportion. 'It has about 20 windows overlooking our garden. If they go ahead, we won't be able to sit out in the garden at all without people overlooking us.' Mr Smith added that storage areas, which include space for bins and deliveries, was next to his garden wall. Others – as well as Norfolk County Council – believe there will be traffic problems including local road congestion. South Norfolk Council's planning committee is due to rule on the application on Wednesday. Diss was listed as part of the Hartismere hundred of Suffolk in the Domesday Book of 1086 and has several historic buildings, including an early 14th-century parish church and a Corn Hall from the 1850s, which is still in use. Graham Minshull, a Conservative councillor on South Norfolk Council who represents Diss, questioned whether there was demand in the town for the are home Diss was the birthplace of former prime minister Harold Wilson's wife, Mary, who lived to the age of 102 The town was the childhood home of Lord's Cricket Ground founder Thomas Lord and birthplace of PM Harold Wilson's wife, Mary – who lived to the age of 102. There are 30 care homes in Diss at present, according to online resource carehome.co.uk. This includes the seven current nursing homes and 23 residential care homes. Research into care homes has shown the supply of places has failed to keep pace with the growing and ageing population.  Soaring prices are also forcing care home residents to sell their homes and raid their life savings, despite paying taxes all their lives - leaving loved ones with little to inherit.  New prime minister Andy Burnham has vowed to 'go as quickly as he can' to stop the NHS collapsing under the 'broken' social care system – but has failed to commit to a timeline and not explained how he will fund his plans. A South Norfolk Council spokesman said: 'As with all planning decisions, the committee will decide to approve or refuse solely on the merits of the application in front of them.' LNT Care Developments were also contacted for a comment.