Councillors have awarded planning permission in principle for a new care home to be built in Lenzie.

East Dunbartonshire Council’s planning board unanimously backed an application from Simlen Ltd to construct a new facility at a site off Woodilee Road, although as this was only an application in principle it will have to be followed up with a more detailed plan also being approved before any construction will begin.

The site in question is currently vacant brownfield land of almost one hectare in area, adjacent to Woodilee Village on the former grounds of Woodilee Hospital. The proposed care home would have around 60 bedrooms.

The application received a total of eight objections from the public, and East Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership was also ambivalent about the proposals, saying that although a new care home would offer obvious potential benefits there is enough capacity in existing care homes locally to cope with current levels of demand.

The site was the subject of a successful planning application in 2012 for a community development with nursery, sports arena and shops these plans were never achieved so it was deemed that this approval had expired.

Planning officers recommended granting the application subject to various conditions and the creation of a legal agreement and this was unanimously accepted by the planning board. More detailed proposals can now be submitted to the council for consideration.