A former care home in Larbert is to be sold for £600,000 to be transformed into apartments offering 'supported living' accommodation. Torwoodhall, which closed last May, will be converted into six self-contained apartments with various communal areas for staff, members of Falkirk Councils' executive agreed.
The once-grand house was built in the 1850s and sits in 1.7 acres. Within the grounds, the intention is to build nine one-bed bungalows. It is understood that the more modern extensions that were added to the original building will be taken down.
Head of Invest Falkirk, Paul Kettrick, said the offer from Safe as Houses PLC was the highest that complied with the brief to keep the historic building at the centre of the site. The company will still have to gain planning permission and the sale is subject to any adjustments for proven "abnormal costs" that might be found after a site investigation.
Mr Kettrick told members that the sale "will not only generate a capital receipt but will be a supported living facility, which is in short supply". Falkirk Integration Joint Board approved the closure of Torwoodhall on November 20, 2020.
While staff were praised for their work – and in particular not having a single case of Covid throughout the pandemic – it was felt that the old, 18-bed home was not suitable to offer modern care.
Having been in council ownership since 1949, the distinctive building had seen many changes in its time, but adapting to the challenges of infection control proved impossible. The property was declared surplus to operational requirements in August 2021.
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