Closure plans for Cumbria care home evacuated in floods

A care home which was closed during the floods in Cumbria may not reopen.

Cumbria County Council is considering the future of Ravensfield in Keswick, which has remained unoccupied since it was evacuated in November.

The 30-bed care home is situated in an area classed as a 'significant' flood risk and does not have a safe area upstairs to accommodate residents.

A consultation on its permanent closure is to take place, with residents and their families invited to comment.

Of the 22 residents who were living at Ravensfield in November, a number have already opted to remain in the homes they were moved to, the council added.

The council has also predicted that demand for residential care in the county will fall as more people seek to live independently in their own homes.

November was the second time the care home had to be evacuated due to the risk of flooding.

Councillor James Airey, cabinet member responsible for adult social care, said: "We don't think we can continue with a situation where we've had to evacuate a home twice in the last five years, putting lives at risk and causing an enormous amount of disruption for families, residents and other local services."