Permission for care home turned down at prominent arson-hit Corby building

Police have confirmed that a fire at the former volunteer bureau in Corby was started by an arsonist.

The site, which is housed in the old territorial army building in Elizabeth Street, was set alight on April 8.

Fire crews were forced to go into the building to search for survivors.

It has now emerged North Northamptonshire Council turned down a plan to open a 60-bed care home on the site just three days before the arson attack.

A police spokeswoman told this newspaper that Northamptonshire Police have had to close their arson investigation pending any new information because here is no CCTV footage which covers the building and no witnesses have come forward.

Our reporters have attempted on several occasions to contact Peterborough Care Limited, the developer of a proposed care home, but have had no response.

The volunteer bureau, which was home to a range of charities in the town, was given notice in August 2021 after the site’s owner, Homes England, sold it to Corby Care Homes Ltd for £750,000.

The once-grand building has since been used as office space, but has been empty for two years and is now in a dreadful state, with metal fencing surrounding the entrances, litter piled up around the perimeter.

Rough sleepers have often used the garage area in bad weather.

In 2022 an application was submitted to North Northants Council to demolish the TA centre and replace it with a purpose-built 60-bed care home. The site would also have included a separate ‘community space’ with its own access from Alexandra Road.

But that application was refused on April 5 and communicated to the applicant.

Council planners said that it did not comply with strategic planning for the site, which were focused around housing and shopping.

Fire protection officers had also raised concerns about the design of the proposed building, and police officers said the community building could cause issues for the care home residents.

The applicant also declined to enter into a S106 agreement with the council – which compels developers to offer a monetary payment or community facilities to offset the impact of the development on the local community.

The future of the key site is now unknown.