ELDERLY people living in sheltered accommodation in the centre of Devizes fear their community will be destroyed if a housing association is allowed to lower the age limit for people renting the flats.

Wiltshire councillor Simon Jacobs has taken up the fight on behalf of the people living at Stanford Court in Sheep Street and has asked for the proposal to be discussed by the eastern area planning committee rather than being decided by officers.

In a letter to Jonathan Seed the cabinet member for planning he said: "I would like, as the local ward member, to call this

particular application in.

"I have a number of constituents who are not at all happy with this as they feel it will destroy the sense of community that the current arrangements promote."

Cllr Jacobs, who owns an estate agents in the town, said he was also worried about Devizes losing important rental accommodation for elderly people. He said: "There is a an absolute need for this type of rental property. In Marlborough at the moment there is a new development of private flats for older people on the market for between £350,000 and £400,000.

"Many older people can't afford those sort of prices and rely on rented sheltered accommodation like that at Stanford Court."

Annette Thomas, who has lived at Stanford Court for 18 years with her husband Stanley, said: "We are very concerned. They tried to do this before but it was stopped. I can't believe it is happening again."

Back in 2010 the then landlords the English Churches Housing Group tried to remove the sheltered accommodation status on Stanford Court but after a backlash withdrew its planning application.

Current landlords BCHA of Bournemouth said this week that it wanted to change the age restriction on phase two of Stanford Court which consists of flats 21 to 34 as it has had problems finding new tenants when they become empty.

Brian Swann from BCHA said: "We only want to lower the age limit to 55. These flats are in a very good position in the centre of the town but they are on several floors and people need to use the lift or stairs to get to them. They might better suit people who are more ambulatory."

But existing tenants disagree. Barry Pywell, 73, said: "At 55, people are of working age, expected to be able bodied and unlikely to be in need of the specially designed flats for the elderly and disabled. Whereas, people at 65 plus are more likely to be in need of these flats and the Wiltshire Council support contractor, The Mears Care Agency, -that comes with tenancy.

"To my mind, if allowed, it will mean tenancies being given to younger people and those who don't need the purpose designed flats with Eldercare Pull Cord System, grab rails around sinks, baths and handrails in communal areas, as opposed to those older people who definitely do require such aids and support."

Tenant Malcolm Mark has also written to Wiltshire Council to object to the planned variation. He said: "The application is seriously flawed, it has no detail whatsoever. It is impossible to evaluate the effects or potential effects of this application since it gives Carte Blanche to do anything.

"We have vulnerable people in both phases, some possibly with early dementia, Alzheimer’s or special needs. Removal of the Category Two status will mean less social cohesion,increased social deprivation and less social inclusion."