Village children’s home plans met with objections – but applicant slams ‘discriminative, judgemental’ comments

The building, at Slade Hollow on Hooton Lane, Laughton en le Morthen, will be converted into a children’s home for up to three children aged from 10 to 17 years, with special needs including autism.

The home will be run by a private company, and the children homed here will be placed under ‘strict guidelines’ which will see them ‘generally restricted to staying within the site’.

Planning documents said the youngsters will live at the home on a permanent basis and attend schools in the area.

Three staff will be on duty during the day and two at night, with one changeover in the morning and another in the evening.

A detached garage to the rear of the home will be converted for a resident caretaker to maintain the house and grounds.

The report adds that the caretaker can’t stay in the house as ‘any guests of the caretaker would need to be DBS checked’.

Eight letters of objection have been lodged by residents, and one by Laughton en le Morthen Parish Council.

Objections have been lodged on the grounds of noise and disturbance; anti-social behaviour; lack of facilities; traffic hazards; and ‘negative impact on property values’.

One resident said they were concerned that the home ‘could be changed to a young offenders institution’, and another added that ‘children are likely to have challenging behaviour’, and the village could see an increase in ‘petty crime’.

Laughton en le Morthen Parish Council said the scheme would constitute ‘inappropriate development in the Green Belt’, and that ‘vulnerable children [will be] located close to railway bridge and open water’.

However, the applicant says comments around criminal or anti-social behaviour are ‘discriminative, judgemental, condemnatory and should be redacted from any objection to the application’

They say that the home will be run by ‘a very reputable care company’ that is CQC regulated, and that any suggestion of an increase in criminalor anti-social behaviour ‘are of no substance nor following any evidence’.

The parish council responded, saying that residents ‘have been cast in a very negative light,’, and ‘views expressed to [the] council were only of concern for the children that are staying there’.

Planning officers say any change of use to a secure residential institution would require further planning permission, and that the home will be regulated by Ofsted.

They add that the safety of the children under the home’s care will be the responsibility of the carers, and will be ‘confined to the dwelling and garden area due to strict guidelines’

A report concludes: “It is considered that any noise and disturbance generated would be similar to a traditional family dwelling and whilst there could be an increase in comings and goings, especially at shift change over times, this would be within daytime hours so would not create such a significant impact on the amenity of neighbouring residents.

“The presence of several carers at any one time will ensure that the children…..are suitably supervised minimising any impact on the amenity of neighbours or the wider community.”

The plans are recommended for approval at the next meeting of RMBC’s planning board on April 25.