Controversial Telford children’s home plan recommended for approval

So much opposition was lodged by members of the public, a ward councillor and a parish council that the proposal is set to be decided at a Telford & Wrekin Council planning committee meeting.

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Some 38 objections to the change of use of a three-bed family home in Pemberton Road, Admaston, to a care facility for up to three children were lodged by the public.

Issues of concern included parking for staff and visitors, staff rotas, worries about crime and anti-social behaviour, use of the property by a business, and retrospective work carried out on a driveway.

Planning officers have proposed approval be granted with conditions, but they wrote that they cannot consider certain matters, including what is included in property deeds.

The officer’s report to a planning committee meeting read: “Matters such as this (property deeds) are not material planning considerations and cannot therefore be taken into account during the assessment.

“This would be a civil matter for the applicant to look into.”

Concerns raised over the personal history of users, risk to safety of neighbouring properties and issues surrounding anti-social behaviour were “acknowledged” but are “not material planning considerations”, planners wrote.

Applicant Turnstone Residential Ltd wants to provide a home for up to three children between the ages of seven and 17 under the care of two full-time staff members and one manager, “in a safe and secure environment”.

It says this would “mirror a typical family environment”.

Wrockwardine Parish Council objected saying it was an “inappropriate development in a residential area, would lead to an increase in traffic and have an adverse impact on the community with the potential for noise nuisance, irregular vehicle movement and disturbance when staff change shifts”.

Ward councillor Kim Tonks (Liberal Democrats, Admaston and Bratton) objected, saying the site is on the corner of a busy junction and she had concerns about traffic and parking.

But planners said the site is already in residential use, so the principle of residential development is considered ‘appropriate’.

A final report from highways officials is expected to be provided to the committee, but they have verbally advised planning colleagues that they are satisfied with the driveway and dropped kerb.

The council’s specialist housing team says there is a “need for this accommodation in the borough” which is supported by the Government.

Officials said that the applicant will need to be Ofsted registered but this is “not a material planning reason to warrant the refusal of this application”.

Planners have proposed conditions including requesting details of additional insulation.

Members of the public also claimed that they had not been consulted but planners write that they are satisified that all neighbours who share a boundary with the application site were formally consulted and the process has been “duly adhered to”.

Planners concluded that “there are considered to be no principle or technical reasons to warrant refusal of this application, and appropriate conditions are imposed to control its future use and management”.

The planning committee meeting will be held in public from 6pm next Wednesday (February 4) at Southwater One, in Telford.