How an empty Salford hotel could help ease NHS bed-blocking

A scheme to convert an empty hotel into supported accommodation to tackle NHS ‘bed blocking’ has been submitted to Salford city council’s planners. The 32-bedroom Beaucliffe Hotel is a large semi-detached Victorian building that will be used as a ‘Ready 4 Home’ facility if approved.

Applicant, HS Property Group, wants to use the existing bedrooms for supported living as they provide en-suite bathrooms. The existing hotel bar, lounge, dining and kitchen areas have been replanned to create a large communal kitchen/dining area.

The current basement store rooms will also be converted into bedrooms. On the ground floor there would be a room accessed by wheelchair with a wetroom.

A private meeting room has been added to the reception area to give residents the chance to meet in private with support workers.

The architect for the applicant, P4BA, said in the submission: “With the alterations to repurpose the ground floor rooms there are various indoor recreational activities and communal rooms for the proposed 32 residents. We propose very minimal external alterations.”

The current hotel has eight off-street parking spaces which would be used by staff members and visitors. It is considered unlikely that residents of the facility will own vehicles and we have provided a 16-space cycle store to the rear of the building,” the application said.