St Margaret's Convent of Mercy in Midhurst set to become care centre to people with eating disorders

St Margaret’s Convent of Mercy in Little Ashfield, Midhurst, was once home to 15 nuns but plans, that have been approved this week, will see the building be converted into a 12-bed residential facility which will provide specialist mental health care for young adults aged between 18 and 25 with eating disorders.

Submitted by care providers Elysium Healthcare the plans were received by South Downs National Park planning authority in August last year and were a given the go ahead by the planning committee at the end of January.

Several neighbours to the Convent of Mercy had objected to the plans.

Ms Gillian Baker was one objector. Part of her letter to the planning committee read: “Our NHS, as we all know, is under tremendous pressure, locally as well as nationwide. A new health care facility under the proposal will simply add to the pressure. A local retirement home in the town is closing due to staff shortages.

"New staff at Elysium will therefore mean that local residents who need care in their own homes may be affected. The Midhurst Community cannot be expected to be at a disadvantage because a new health facility may employ carers who are needed by our local residents.”

Dr Helen Rostill said she is a mental health expert and was another resident upset at the plans.

She wrote in part of her objection letter: “The appearance and character of the area is likely to be impacted by both staff and mobile patients using the surrounding residential areas and designated footpath (out of sight of the facility itself) for smoking and other breaks, creating noise, littering and a nuisance for residents as well as a poor example for school children who regularly use the footpath to access June Lane and North Street on their way to and from school. Elysium Healthcare will undoubtedly adopt a smoke free policy within the mental health facility, however the challenges of implementing this in the surrounding hospital/facility grounds are well known.”

You can read the full documents on the SNDP planning portal by searching: SDNP/22/03768/FUL