Ambitious plans to create a state-of-the-art care village on land adjoining Buckfast Abbey have been unanimously approved by Dartmoor National Park Authority’s planners.

The scheme will create a complex for people of all ages, with around 124 supported apartments, a 60-bed nursing home and a 32-bed specialist dementia unit.

It will be built on the derelict site formerly occupied by the Axminster Carpets Spinning Mill, which closed in 2013.

The eco-friendly village will include swimming and hydrotherapy pools which will be open to the public, plus a new community hall. There will also be craft workshops, a sensory garden, a restaurant, bar, hairdressing salon and cinema. Up to 170 jobs are expected to be created.

The complex, designed by KWL Architects from Newport in South Wales, has been described by DNPA members as ‘exciting, iconic and desperately needed.’

Buckfast Abbey’s finance manager, Jonathan Deacon, said: ‘We are thrilled that the scheme has been passed. We would like to thank the design team and the planning officials involved for all their support.’

Several environmental issues have been addressed, including the protection of a colony of rare Horseshoe bats.

Mr Deacon added that the impetus for the development had come from the Abbey’s monastic community: ‘The monks follow the Rule of St Benedict, written in AD516.

‘This mostly deals with how to live a monastic life, but there is a very important section on how to treat guests as if they were Christ Himself. To this end, Benedictine monks and nuns over the centuries have set up homes and hospitals to care for the sick and the elderly.

‘This tradition continues and the monks were also keen to replace the 120 jobs lost to the local community when the spinning mill closed its doors.’

The village will be similar to two complexes run by the St Monica’s Trust in the Bristol area.

The Buckfast Abbey Trust will oversee the running of the care village, which will have its own dedicated health team and be registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Mr Deacon said: ‘It’s important to stress that this will not be a retirement village – it’s to provide accommodation and support to people of all ages.

‘This may include someone in their 20s who has a degenerative disease but wants to continue a normal life for as long as possible with appropriate help.

‘We aim to create a rich and stimulating environment, with our gardens and communal areas, workshops, day trips and a range of craft and educational activities. We are also hoping to supply outreach and domiciliary care to the surrounding area.’

Chris Hart, Dartmoor National Park Authority’s head of Development Management, said: ‘This scheme offers the opportunity to provide high quality care facilities and new employment while redeveloping a redundant site that is in keeping with its surroundings and contributes substantially to the local community.

‘We have worked closely with Buckfast Abbey trustees to help them bring forward proposals that strike a balance with the National Park purposes, delivering sustainable development, in line with national planning policy and guidance, and supporting the socio-economic wellbeing of Dartmoor communities.’