A GOTHIC-style former care home could be brought back to life with proposals to change its use – for a younger clientele.

The grade two Steepleton Manor home has been largely closed up and is said to be deteriorating while awaiting more than a year for planning consent over changes to the internal layout to provide 13 residential assisted living suites, including space for live-in staff.

Objections to the alterations have come from the Environment Agency which has said there is a chance of up to 9cm of water into parts of the building during a one in 100-year flood.

Despite the Agency objection Dorset councillors have said the alterations for Stonehouse Projects can take place – unless the Secretary of State steps in to over-rule the decision.

Ward councillor Roland Tarr said that in almost 80 years he had known the Winterbourne Steepleton building he had never known floodwater from the stream on the opposite site of the road get anywhere near the property.

He described the manor building as one of the best in the county, which, he said should be preserved and protected by allowing the alterations which will, effectively split the site into smaller units, catering for more active elderly people.

“The  building has been locked up for some time and it will decay,” he said.

Cllr Tarr said the future residents were expected to be more than capable of getting themselves out of the way of flood waters, should the unlikely event occur.

The parish council has backed the changes saying it is glad the building will receive “very much needed maintenance work and repairs” although regretting the overall slight drop in job numbers on the site as a result of the changes from nursing home to active retirement living.

A planning officer told councillors, deciding the application, that as a result of the changes the number of ground floor bedrooms would reduce from 15 to eight, all having access to the first floor, apart from one where a flood barrier would be added to satisfy the Environment Agency.

Around 30 per cent of the site, mostly the manor house itself, falls within flood zone three where the risk of a flood is calculated to be likely at some stage.

Agent for the owners, Ashley Bell, said that over the years much of the interior of the gothic revival building had been removed but there was now scope with the proposed changes to gradually make improvements to the property and its outbuildings, restoring some of the original features.

He said that the current proposals were likely to mean 11 full and part-time jobs on the site including two chefs, a receptionist, cleaners and housekeeping, gardener, site manager and a part time beauty therapist and bar staff.