Concerns raised over plans for two children's care homes in West Lancashire
Objections have been raised about disturbance, anti-social behaviour and the care home being out-of-character with the residential area.
Plans to turn two West Lancashire family houses into children’s care homes run by private companies have raised objections about potential disturbance, children’s safety and other issues.
Two applications for children’s care homes from different companies are being looked at by West Lancashire Council’s planning committee this week. One is in Scarisbrick and the other in Hesketh Bank.
Oneness Children’s Care Ltd wants to change the use of 2C Moorfield House on Moorfield Lane, Scarisbrick, into a children’s home with staff on shifts and associated facilities.
Martin Bone of Keswick Road, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, is named as the agent for the application and James O’Rourke, of O’Rourke Designs, Swansea Close, Garston, Liverpool, is also named as an agent in a council planning report.
The plan has been called-in for scrutiny by Conservative Coun Alexander Blundell, to consider the impact on neighbours. Council planning officers are recommending approval with conditions.
A planning report says : “The property would be managed by Oneness Children’s Care Ltd and would be the primary home for up to three children who would be accompanied by trained staff 24 hours a day. There will additionally be day shift member of staff resulting in a total number of eight staff.
“The home will accommodate children with autistic spectrum disorders, ADHD, social or emotional difficulties and associated challenging behaviours such as post-traumatic stress disorder. ”
Lancashire County Council’s children’s services department has said the proposed home would meet a gap in provision for children who need small homes and higher staffing rations and specialise in children with autism and ADHD.
However, Lancashire Police has said the Scarisbrick address is close to a canal, marina and some caravan parks. If a child had previously been a victim of criminal or sexual exploitation, there is a ‘ready availability of transient accommodation for an abuser to follow them and further offences to be committed’, police have said, according to the planning report. Additionally, if a child has mental health or ‘suicidal ideology’ issues then the fast road and nearby water could be safety risks.
Scarisbrick Parish Council has objected, saying there a number of existing similar facilities in the parish which have caused upset to residents. A neighbour, Sean Blanchard, has also objected, raising concerns including potential anti-social activity, disruption or inappropriate behaviour, and the impact on privacy.
However, West Lancashire planning officers say the application is acceptable. Arrangements such as room allocations, shift patterns and other details would address any concerns. The impact on neighbours would be no more than a typical family home, planning officers believe.
The council report adds: “Concerns have been raised over the management of the facility and child safeguarding in relation to the police comments. The management of children’s homes and child protection is a matter for Ofsted and other government legislation. These are no land use considerations and so any comment about the service and how it could be run should not be afforded weight in the determination of the planning application.
“In respect of Lancashire Police comments, the application is supported by risk assessments and a statement of purpose says safeguarding is key to running the facility to keep children or young people safe.”
West Lancashire planning officers are recommending approval with conditions. But the plan has been called-in for scrutiny by Conservative Coun John Howard regarding the impact on neighbours.
Cavalry Healthcare would run the facility for up to four children with trained staff 24 hours a day. The home will accommodate youngsters with physical and complex needs as well as those with learning disabilities such as autism, a council planning report states.
But questions or objections have been raised including disturbance, anti-social behaviour, car parking problems and the care home being out-of-character with the residential area. People including neighbours Pamela Ladlow, Julie Smith, John Whitton, and Wendy and Russell Hughes have raised concerns.
Councillors om West Lancashire Council’s planning committee will look at the applications this Thursday 21st March.