ROAD alterations to help wheelchair users cross a Bidford road have been called for by a county councillor - after an outline planning application with a nursing home has been agreed.

Warwickshire County Councillor Peter Barnes said that he would like to see the existing Waterloo Road by the industrial estate island made suitable for wheelchair bound people in the new Friday Furlong plan.

Applicants Cranbrook Homes and George Wimpey submitted two outline applications to Stratford District Council for the Friday Furlong development which will be situated off the Waterloo Road by the industrial estate.

The two applications were for a mixed development consisting of 66 to 110 homes, a nursing home, a public open space and associated road accesses.

The nursing home will have around 30 beds, to ease pressure on local hospitals who suffer bed-blocking.

The first application was also for business use.

When the applications came before Stratford District Council's west area planning committee at Bidford Primary School on Thursday, January 27, the first outline application was approved and the second was rejected.

Cllr Barnes said that a pelican crossing or a drop kerb across the Waterloo Road by the island would help wheelchair users from the nursing home, and from the near-by Home Farm Trust day centre, a resource centre for people with learning disabilities.

Cllr Barnes said: "There will be a new island included in the development which will replace the old one which is a waste of space. There needs to be a wheelchair facility at that island by the industrial estate. Wheelchairs can't get up and down the kerb, maybe a drop kerb would be useful - one would have to take advice. It's something that should be included in the new road layout in the Friday Furlong plan."