A new children’s home could open despite objections from nearly 100 local residents.
A planning application has been submitted to Wirral Council for a change of use of a seven bed semi-detached house on Penkett Road in Liscard. Regenda Group and Juno Community Interest Company, behind the application, said it would “provide a small-scale, Ofsted registered, children’s home for four children and two overnight staff.”
They said the reason for the proposal was to enable “a stable family setting close to good educational and community-based opportunities.”
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If approved, the children’s home would provide accommodation for up to four children aged between 10 and 18 and would be supervised by non-resident carers.
The applicants said the children'shome would be “smart, tidy, well maintained and well equipped to operate in the same way as any normal household” with a “large family kitchen” and “a large dining room where the table can be set for eating meals together.”
A council report, which recommends the plans be approved, said: “On the balance of probabilities, the use of the building and the character of activity associated with that use would not be significantly different to that which could be expected at a single dwelling house of this size.”
However several comments from neighbours have been made in opposition to the new children's home as well as a petition signed by 92 people against the plans. Issues raised in the comments included there being “too many care homes in the area” already as well as a “detrimental impact” on the lives of neighbours.
Unlike a normal planning application, “material planning considerations” such as noise, loss of privacy, parking, and traffic are not relevant. The report explains: “The decision in this matter is to be based strictly on factual evidence, the planning status and history of the site and the relevant law applicable to the circumstances of the case.”
It added: “If…the Council is provided with information satisfying it that the new use described in the application would be lawful they should issue a certificate to that effect" and “the onus is firmly on the applicant to demonstrate on the balance of probabilities that the proposed development would be lawful."
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