A FORMER care home could be demolished to make way for a housing development under plans submitted to Newport council.

Hillside in Gaer Road previously offered 24 en-suite bedrooms as well as other assisted facilities and a hairdressers but it has laid vacant for several years.

A 39-bed care home for older people has also recently been completed nearby, at the Bryn Gaer site off Drinkwater Gardens.

Charter Housing Association and Pobl Group are behind the plans to knock down the former care home and build 14 houses in its place.

The development would include eight three-bedroom homes, four one-bedroom and two two-bedroom houses.

It is also proposed to relocate an existing bus stop located nearby on Gaer Road.

A design and access statement says the site is being disposed of by Newport City Council as it has been redundant for several years.

But in a pre-application consultation, the council commented that the development would be considered as a loss of a community facility.

A 'shortfall' of nine parking spaces was also raised by the local authority.

But the applicants pointed out that the building has been vacant for some time, and that when in use it was occupied for housing rather than being open to the community.

Meanwhile a total of 22 parking spaces are proposed, which the applicant says meets parking requirements.

The application says there is a "great demand" for family housing, which the proposed development can help meet.

"Pobl Group considers the provision of residential accommodation suitable for families as an important benefit of the scheme," the design and access statement says.

A new access would be created through the site under the plans, forming a T-shape road layout.

This requires the relocation of a bus stop, which will be moved nearby.

Agreement on a new location is currently being made with the council's highways department.

The former care home has been a target for vandalism and anti-social behaviour since it closed.

Economic benefits through regeneration of the site, as well as a short-term boost during the building phase, would be delivered under the proposals.

The location of the site is said to be suitable for housing as it is near to retail units, a health centre and school.