PLANS for a £60m luxury retirement village at Stanford Hall could get the go-ahead this week.

The complex of 120 homes, a 70-bed care home, luxury spa and shops has already been given conditional approval by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

But developer Chek Whyte is awaiting a final decision on his proposals from the Government Office for the East Midlands on Friday.

If the scheme gets the green light, the first phase could be completed by February next year, when 40 apartments will be ready for occupation.

Stanford Hall, in Stanford-on-Soar, was built in the 1770s but its heyday was in the 1930s when furniture millionaire Sir Julien Cahn added Grade II Art Deco features, including a sea lion pool, a lido and a theatre.

A couple of owners and several failed planning applications later, the Stanford estate was acquired last year by Mr Whyte. Conditions imposed on his plans by the council include a minimum age for residents of 55, a financial contribution to health services and phased restoration of the entire estate.

The Government Office for the East Midlands could object to the development on the grounds that some listed features of the 365-acre estate, such as the lido and the original theatre foyer, will be destroyed.

But English Heritage and the council are backing the scheme because the hall's other historic features will be fully restored.

Chek Whyte Industries' architect Roger Harrison added: "Stanford Hall presents a unique challenge. It was an incredible place in its time and this work will restore it to its former glory and respect the original features, while being very much a 21st Century development."

Referring to the lido, he said: "We did look at options for keeping it, but given the amount of development we have to get on the site, we couldn't make it fit.

"There is significant cost involved with restoring the listed buildings and for a few generations, no one's been able to make that cost stack up.

"Our idea is to have minimum impact on the estate in its entirety and the lido was unfortunately in a position that is not that visible.

"Without this development things like the theatre are potentially at risk. It's not been in use for five or six years and there is no guarantee it will be in use for several years yet without this development. We could potentially have it back in use this year."

Loughborough resident Dr Robert White is one of three individual objectors to the demolition of the lido.

"My letter was really just to register my sadness at the loss of the lido from a nostalgic point of view," said Dr White, a 69-year-old retired physicist, who swam at the lido from his childhood until its closure about a decade ago.

"I accept something needs to be done about the rest of the estate, but it would be a real shame to see it go."

He went on: "In my childhood days there was a putting green and tennis courts, too. You could hardly move around the lido for swimmers and sun bathers. Many local people remember it very fondly.

"I doubt the lido will stand in the way of this scheme and I don't suppose it would necessarily be the safest place to swim today. But in my heart of hearts I would like to see it preserved even though it's not economically viable."

The 20th Century Society has suggested that the lido be remodelled as a walled garden.

"It would make an impressive addition to the grounds of the house and would keep this important part of the site's fascinating architectural and social history intact," said society member, Jon Wright.

If the development goes ahead, the theatre will remain in private ownership, as it always has been, but the management will allow local theatre groups to perform shows for members of the public for a certain number of weeks per the year.

For the first three years of the scheme, Stanford Hall itself would be open as a wedding venue, with restaurants and bars, but after three years it would revert back to a single dwelling country house.

It is believed Mr Whyte himself could live there with his wife and three children. He currently resides at nearby Bunny Hall.

Mr Harrison said: "I couldn't comment. I don't know if that is currently what's planned. That was the original intention."

The retirement village would be the first scheme of its type created by Chek Whyte Industries but is part of a roll-out programme which Mr Whyte and his team intend to take UK-wide.

Tomorrow: Don't miss our exclusive profile interview with Chek Whyte, who tells his rags to riches story.

jo.roberts@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk