ANOTHER controversial plan over the use of a private house as a children’s home is to come before Warrington planning chiefs.
Warrington Borough Council officers are recommending the scheme be approved – despite major opposition from nearby residents.
The proposals involve a detached house in Isherwood Close, Fearnhead which is a home for three children in care but requires additional accommodation for staff and additional parking.
Twenty-three neighbours have lodged objections – and in addition, 43 residents of Isherwood Close, Wasley Close and Cinnamon Lane have signed an open letter of objection.
Last month similar proposals at Penketh were given the go-ahead despite strenuous objection from neighbours who claimed they had been plagued by vandalism and anti-social behaviour when the house had previously been used as a children’s home.
A report to be considered by the committee says the house has four first-floor bedrooms and a fifth bedroom in a converted garage. Like the property at Penketh, it has been used as a children’s home previously.
Objectors claim they have suffered from noise, anti-social behaviour, vandalism, litter, fighting and bare-foot children sitting outside the property smoking.
There were also parking problems caused by care home staff.
Poulton-with-Fearnhead Parish Council and local borough councillors also oppose the scheme on the grounds of inappropriate use in a residential area
However, planning officers say a care home is a residential use so is not inappropriate in the area. The perception of anti-social behaviour and crime is not a material consideration because it cannot be evidence-based.
They are recommending that the committee approve the scheme.
A spokesperson for Esland Care, who operate the home, said: “The site already has planning permission to provide residential care for up to three children with two sleeping in staff. It has now become necessary to increase the number of staff at the home so we can better support the wellbeing of the children currently living there. However, to do so requires a change from Use Class C3 to Class C2. This is what the current application deals with, alongside adding two additional parking spaces so that we minimise the impact of the service on its neighbours.”
Last month planners approved converting a property at Penketh into a children’s home despite opposition from around 50 local residents.
1 Comment
Nimbyism at its finest. There are plenty of private homes used for housing people with learning disabilities and there are all plenty of hmo’s also dotted around these neighbourhoods.