Laura DevlinBBC News, Norfolk
Save Benjamin Court
Campaigner Martin Booth said the new recognition was an “important victory”
Campaigners are celebrating after a building once used as a care centre was granted extra protection from possible development.
The Benjamin Court reablement unit, in Cromer, gave short-term care for people discharged from hospital until it closed in 2023.
The NHS, which previously ran the Norfolk centre, said last year that it would not reopen but now lawyers have ruled that it is an Asset of Community Value (ACV).
Campaigner Martin Booth said it was an “important victory”. However, NHS officials still believe they will be able to sell the site.
He said he hoped Benjamin Court would be “favourably considered as a neighbourhood health hub”.
“We call on those responsible for delivering health and care in our area to lose no time in making that happen,” he added.
According to North Norfolk District Council’s website, ACV status means a community could bid to buy the building if it was put up for sale.
The ACV status applies for five years.
Martin Giles/BBC
The site was handed over to NHS Property Services last year
In 2023, Norfolk County Council said the site was no longer needed and staff retention was difficult.
A year later, the NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) said it could not find a way to make the facility work with other services and in a way that was “financially viable”.
It was handed over to NHS Property Services to find new tenants.
Previously, the home had beds for people aged over 65, and with dementia, who had left hospital but were not ready to go home.
The campaign group applied for ACV status, stating the site should not be sold off but used to provide health and social care services, for a community that had one of the oldest populations in England.
Lawyers for North Norfolk District Council agreed that it met the ACV criteria, having recently provided a vital service which furthered wellbeing, and which could continue to do so.
Reacting to the latest development, Liberal Democrat council leader Tim Adams said: “The district council continues to support the reuse of Benjamin Court for health and social care purposes and continues to discuss these matters with the NHS and government.”
However, NHS Property Services still expect to sell the site.
A spokeswoman said: “[This] gives interested community groups the first option to buy the property at the commercial rate before it is marketed more widely.
“We do not anticipate this decision will affect our plans to move forward on the sale of the property and will continue the process of preparing the site for disposal in accordance with standing guidelines.”
The latest developments are due to be discussed by Norfolk County Council’s Adult Social Care and Public Health Select Committee on Monday.
The Norfolk and Waveney ICB was approached for comment.