A former haulage yard on a main route to Swadlincote town centre left vacant for decades could be transformed into homes for vulnerable adults with learning and physical disabilities.
Two buildings with 18 one-bedroom supported living flats and four semi-detached homes could be built on the land west of Coppice Side, according to planning documents.
Supported housing firm Inclusion Housing and HB Villages Developments Limited will also employ five full-time staff as carers and provide 24 parking spaces if plans are approved.
The Cheshire-based development company has now applied to South Derbyshire District Council for permission to develop the 0.9 acre site.
A report to the council by the applicant said: "The proposed development will deliver much-needed specialised supported living accommodation in a location which has been identified as being in acute need of this form of housing, alongside a small number of open market homes.
"The specialised supported living accommodation will provide high quality bespoke housing for vulnerable adults with learning and physical disabilities, to be managed and operated by Inclusion Housing and Lifeways."
Inclusion Housing is a not-for-profit community interest company which specialises in supported housing.
The proposed specialised supported living accommodation will provide apartments for disabled adults to enable them to lead as normal and as independent a life as possible.
The report added: "Due to their disabilities, however, they find themselves unable to do so without a certain amount of support, the level of which varies, according to an individual’s needs.
"This might be help, for example, with shopping, bills, or learning a new cooking recipe. Some of the tenants with learning disabilities may have a college course they need help with organising or perhaps they need help organising travel to and from their job or volunteer placement.
"Whatever support they need, there will be staff available on a 24-hour basis."
The overall aim of such supported living arrangements is to increase each person's independence over time, for example by reducing the amount of support needed, trying new activities or moving to more independent accommodation.
The site is currently vacant, having previously been used as a transport depot/haulage yard.
Despite the traffic issues which have blighted Coppice Side in the past, the applicant claims the travel generated by development "should have no undue detrimental impact upon local amenity, the environment, highway safety, the efficiency of transport infrastructure and the efficiency and availability of public transport services."
Plans had previously been approved to build 14 homes on the site but have not come to fruition.
