Approval for plan to convert house into a small care home
COUNCILLORS have granted permission to convert a house in Bridgend into a small care home for children despite objections due to parking and behaviour concerns.
On Thursday, July 23, councillors at Bridgend County Borough Council approved an application to change the use of a twostorey terraced house in Grove Road, Bridgend, from a residential dwelling into a care home for two children classed as “vulnerable”.
Councillor Matthew Voisey, representative for Oldcastle Ward, said: “I believe that this change of use will result in a marked increase in nuisance and disturbance from traffic, noise, crime and disorder and attendance by police and other services to the premises.”
The Conservative councillor also said converting the house into a care home would have a negative impact on the wellbeing of neighbours and parking on the street and asked for councillors to visit the site before making a decision.
The council’s planning committee are not currently undertaking site visits due to covid-19 restrictions, according to the planning application.
The house, located in 66 Grove Road, will not undergo any external changes when it is converted into a care home and the children living there will receive full-time care from two adults.
Morfa representative Nicole Burnett she was “astounded” that councillors had made “sweeping judgements” about the children and “automatically” linked them to antisocial behaviour.
“Having met local children in care we can’t go making these statements, I’m sorry” the Labour councillor said.
“I think this is the ideal location to place our local children. Our duty is to provide homes for children in our care
“If this property is suitable for a family to live in then it’s suitable for a different kind of family for our looked after children to live in.”
Councillor Gary Thomas, chair of the council’s development control (planning) committee, thanked Cllr Burnett for “speaking from the heart”.
Oldcastle representative and Conservative councillor Lyn Walters objected to changing the use of the property, stating it may cause parking issues.
“The local community is very close knit and changing the use from a dwelling house to a children’s residential home is not appropriate,” she said.
Local residents also objected to the plans over concerns including antisocial behaviour, parking and the effect on house prices along Grove Road.
Rhodri Davies, the council’s building control manager, said there is “no solid evidence” that turning the house into a care home would cause a “marked increase in antisocial behaviour”.
The planning application for the care home said the children are “victims of circumstances and are simply in need of proper care and attention” and “pose no potential threat to the local community”.
It also said the proposed parking arrangement for the care home is in line with the council’s guidance.
Bridgend Town Council had no objections to the plans.