The owner of Harrogate's Grove House has said he is "absolutely delighted" after planners finally gave the go-ahead to convert the grade two listed building into a luxury care facility.

Graeme Lee, chief executive of Springfield Healthcare, bought Grove House for £3 million in 2019 and then spent five years working on plans to transform it into what he calls "the holy grail of care".

North Yorkshire Council finally granted approval this month, which means the former home of Harrogate mayor, inventor and philanthropist Samson Fox will be converted into a care home consisting of 24 flats. In addition, a 62-bed care home and eight houses providing supported living for over-65s will be built on adjoining land.

Mr Lee, whose company already owns seven care homes, including Harcourt Gardens in Harrogate and the Chocolate Works in York, said:

Mr Lee admitted there were doubts about whether the scheme would go ahead because of the length of the planning process. He added the cost had risen from £15 million to £20 million due to inflation and the cost of living increase.

Mr Lee, who lives in Harrogate, said he hoped to appoint a contractor — probably Simpsons of York, which undertook Harcourt Gardens and the Chocolate Works — by spring and then begin work in summer. He added the scheme would be built in phases, with a planned opening date of summer 2026.

The six-acre site, which has been unused for years, will host an annual community day and be used widely by pupils at nearby Grove Road Community Primary School.Children will hold lessons on site and build relationships with residents with dementia to make the project a pioneering multi-generational scheme, Me Lee said.

They will also be able to track wildlife such as foxes and badgers on site through hidden cameras and use a new wildlife pond for study.

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