SOUTHFIELD Care Home in Devizes has been chosen as the site for extra care housing for older people to be built.

Both Southfield, in Victoria Road, and Anzac House, in Moonrakers, will close when a new care home opens off Horton Road in Bishops Cannings.

The care homes are owned by Wiltshire Council and leased to The Orders of St John Care Trust, which is building the new 80-bed care home, which is due to open in September 2014.

Last month Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet capital assets committee agreed to approve the use of the Southfield site for the development of a 40 to 50 unit extra care scheme.

This site was chosen over Anzac House as it is closer to Devizes town centre. No decision has been made about what will happen to the Anzac House site.

Browfort, the former Wiltshire Council and Kennet District Council offices in Bath Road, was also considered as a site for extra care housing but it was thought to be inappropriate.

A procurement process will be undertaken to identify a developer for the Southfield site to deliver the affordable housing for older people.

Wiltshire Council forecasts that the number of over-65s in Devizes will increase by 49.6 per cent by 2026, up to 8,600.