DEMOLITION of the former Burnham House care home will go ahead in May if all goes to plan according to applicant Abbeyfield Society.

The charity, which will run the 41 two bedroom and eight one bedroom flats, previously said that the demolition would go ahead early this year but has since revised its estimate to say that demolition will begin in May, with recruitment of staff beginning  in June 2015.

It is expected that the build will be completed by contractors Bouygues UK in October 2016 and that the site will be fully let by Spring 2017.

Presenting the updates on the scheme to Malmesbury Town Council Doug Furlong, business manager at Abbeyfield Society, said that there would be 21 parking spaces for residents as well as spaces for mobility scooters and bicycles spaces for residents and staff.

Several councillors raised their concerns about the potential problems with parking, noting that the Corn Gastons area was already full of cars that parked on the street.

Cllr Andrew Woodcock said: “I think the problem is that this is a notorious area and emergency vehicles have even had problem getting access. You must be aware that there is long history of problems here.”

Mr Furlong said that most residents would not have cars and that staff would be encouraged to cycle or walk from nearby.

He said: “If there isn’t enough room for staff to park then they would be the first people we would ask to park off site.”

Cllr John Gundry said: “This area of the town is jammed pack. The last thing we want is your staff parking off site on the street.

“There is a very great deal of anxiety around Waitrose staff parking off site.”

Mr Furlong defended the plans saying that in his experience residents at Abbeyfield sites were in their late eighties and that car parking spaces were almost always available in other areas.

He said: “The average age of people coming into Abbeyfield is 87 and the average age of people living with us is 89.

“All I can tell you is the experience that I have elsewhere.”

The site was donated to Abbeyfield by Wiltshire Council and is now waiting for a Section 106 Agreement to be made before work can go ahead.

This agreement could see money put into improving nearby footpaths and adding and improving dropped kerbs for residents with mobility scooters to gain access.

The former care home was closed down more than six years ago and has since been adorned with huge pictures of animals to create a ‘graffiti zoo’ by a local artist who goes by the name Syd.