New residential support worker jobs are to be created near Carlisle as plans to transform an old country manor into a care home and small care village have received support from city councillors.

As reported by local newspaper The News and Star, Newcastle-based firm Wellburn Care Homes has been given approval to create a 47-bedroom care home as well as six cottages in the grounds of Scalesceugh Hall in Carlisle.

Councillors on the development control committee have said they are both satisfied and impressed with the proposals. However, planning permission will only be granted after a legal agreement has been signed to ensure that only those requiring domiciliary care will be allowed to live in the cottages.

"I can't remember a proposed development that lends itself better to an existing building than this particular proposal," said Terry Scarborough, a local Labour councillor.

Scalesceugh Hall is already in use as a care home by its current owners, the Cumbria Cerebral Palsy Society. Originally the society planned to convert the building into 10 supported living apartments but their plans were disappointed by a lack of developer interest in the housing market.

According to Alan Taylor, development control manager for Carlisle City Council, by keeping the Hall for use as a care home it will be possible to retain many of its listed features and Edwardian architecture.