Plan for children’s home wins approval
A FOURBED detached home will be transformed into a children’s home after councillors gave plans the green light despite objections.
The Linthorpe property, on Harrow Road, will provide a home for up to three children between the ages of eight and 18. Councillors voted unanimously to grant planning permission.
Eight objections were raised with the local authority though nobody spoke against the plans at Middlesbrough Council’s planning committee meeting on Friday, July 22.
Nearby residents are concerned about the increase in cars, noise levels, antisocial behaviour, and the prices of homes in the area declining.
In an objection submitted before the meeting, Labour’s Cllr Naweed Hussain, who represents Linthorpe, said: “Linthorpe is a conservation area and this is not the place for a children’s home and I hope the planning department agree with us and will reject this application.
“We already have some existing children’s home in the ward which we have had many complaints about in the past and another one is not needed. I have nothing against the children’s homes but they do not belong in the ward.”
Staff will be at the home on a 24-hour basis with a manager and deputy manager on site between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
During the meeting, Conservative Cllr David Coupe said the area of concrete outside of the property would be able to accommodate the cars so they would not be adding to further on-street parking.
Independent Cllr Joan McTigue said the council had to do its “very best” for children in the care of the local authority while Labour’s Cllr Julia Rostron said she could understand some of the concerns raised but highlighted that it was only three children and there were other families in the area.
Both of the providers’ current homes are rated as good with Ofsted and, according to the application, have had no community issues in the last four years.
The Harrow Road property has a large family kitchen, three reception rooms and four bedrooms (three for children and one for staff). Councillors voted unanimously to support the plans and grant permission for a change of use.