A proposed new assisted living development planned for the former Moles Country Store site in Brighton Road has been described as looking like a 'prison'.

Senior living provider Birchgrove has submitted a planning application for the scheme, which would provide 49 flats in a new two- and three-storey building, two in a new single-storey building and a two-room extra-care facility in the former Scats office building, a Grade II Listed former cow house.

The application shows a total of 53 units on the site, together with communal areas including a restaurant, lounge, bar and guest bedrooms, with communal gardens and car parking space.

The Moles building has stood empty since September 2017.

The application has been submitted by senior living housing developer Birchgrove, which gave a presentation on its plans for the site to Godalming Town council later last year, and says the latest design has been tweaked to accommodate initial feedback from councillors and planning officers.

The building will be in red brick, with metal canopies and balconies, with large feature windows.

Some neighbours have objected to the scheme, describing the building as 'ugly' and voicing concerns about traffic and parking problems they say would be generated by the development. Some people living in South Hill have voiced fears about overlooking, noise and smells from the proposed new building.

But Birchgrove says the scheme will help meet 'a pressing need for specialist accommodation in the area'. The company says the site is ideal as it is close to town centre amenities, and will help free up properties in the town as older people move out of family homes.The development will also generate jobs, Birchgrove says.

In its submission to Waverley, Birchgrove points out that the Godalming Neighbourhood Plan states that proposals to provide extra care facilities in Farncombe and Godalming will be 'strongly encouraged'.

Godalming town councillors will have an opportunity to comment on the scheme before the plans go before Waverley's Eastern planning committee for decision.