A PLANNED nursing home backed by a hospital chief is to be built in the face of planners' objections.

Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust chief executive Sonia Mills said there was a great need for such homes in the town.

The latest available figures showed that 13 Princess Margaret Hospital beds were occupied by people awaiting nursing home places, costing the trust a total of £26,030 per month.

And with many nursing homes closing, there are widespread fears that this situation will worsen, with more and more beds taken up by people who could be accommodated elsewhere.

The 79-bed home will be next to the existing Kingsdown Lodge old people's home in Stratton St Margaret.

Kingsdown owner Philip Page submitted the application, which prompted two letters of objection, five of support and the backing of the parish council.

Swindon Council's planning committee gave permission for the development to go ahead, in spite of a recommendation by their own officials that it should be turned down for breaching planning policies.

Among the documents studied by members before making their decision was a letter from Ms Mills.

She said: "The difficulties of discharging people from the hospital are often due to lack of appropriate places available in the community."