Controversial plans to convert Heysham house to children's care home given thumbs up

Plans to convert a house in Heysham into a care home for one or two vulnerable children have been approved.

Permission for the 'change of use' application at 27 Longlands Crescent was granted by a unanimous vote of councillors.

The care home will house up to two young people of 17 years and younger, with care provided on a 24-hour basis by two care staff at any one time.

Residents had protested against the plans, including with a petition of 84 signatures against the scheme.

A Lancaster City Council report said residents' fears included that the care home would "increase anxiety and stress", "disrupt community cohesion", have an "impact on local crime rate", there could be "increased noise levels or activity associated with having multiple staff members coming and going throughout day and night" and the change could lead to "devaluation of neighbouring properties making them difficult to sell".

A letter from Heysham Neighbourhood Council said the plans are "deeply distressing to the residents of this area".

But planning officers had recommended the change of use be allowed and Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee - a cross-party group of elected councillors - agreed.

Blackpool-based childcare provider Theraputic Care Ltd applied to the council for the change of use at the four-bedroomed detached house.

Councillors spoke out in favour of the plans at the meeting, held at Morecambe Town Hall on Monday.

Councillor Martin Gawith, of Labour, said: "This is exactly the sort of home that we require.

"People have a fear of all sorts in their community. We need to rise above that. 

"This will create good young people who will make their way in the world. 

"We need an end to large-scale children's homes."

Councillor Keith Budden, of the Conservatives, said: "Within my ward of Bolton and Slyne we've had a number of people concerned about children's homes. I've been in touch with the majority that I'm aware of, and we've had no problems, no issues.

"We have control of this. We should be supporting these young people who need help and support."

Councillor Alan Greenwell, of the Liberal Democrats, said: "We all know there are some troubled adolescents in our locality. I am very much in favour of this proposal."

All 14 councillors on the planning committee - Sandra Thornberry, Sally Maddocks, Dave Brookes, Paul Hart, Keith Budden, Martin Bottoms, John Hanson, Robert Redfern, Louise Belcher, Sue Tyldesley, Alan Greenwell, Martin Gawith, Jack Lenox and Tim Hamilton-Cox - voted in favour of granting the change of use.

A report, sent to Lancaster City Council on behalf of Theraputic Care Ltd, said: "There is a known demand for this accommodation in the Lancashire area.

"Accordingly there would be a genuine need to be met in accordance with the agreement with the Social Services authority.

"It is also a fundamental part of the applicant's case that the change of use involved would take place in a way which does not create any adverse effects, including to neighbouring properties.

"The whole purpose and strategy of housing children in care in former dwellinghouses is that it enables the children to be given a home which is as close to a conventional home as possible.

"Although the children would be looked after by staff, the pattern of their lives would be as close to living in a conventional dwellinghouse as can be achieved.

"The children would indeed be vulnerable young people. They will have been taken into care by the Social Services Authority.

"There would be children with particular problems, as there could be in any family dwellinghouse.

"There will be a maximum of two children in the house and both will be selected based on referrals to be mutually supporting and therefore be more akin to family members rather than two separate individuals. The children would be vulnerable and need a safe, caring and stable home environment to be able to thrive.

"They would attend schools in the normal way. They would also attend clubs, societies and other extra-curricular activities just as any other child of a similar age would. There would not be onsite education. The children would either attend a local school or a specialist educational provision that will be identified by the local authority. All aspects of education are provided off site to protect the home environment."

In a letter to Lancaster City Council, Philip Lee, chair of Heysham Neighbourhood Council (HNC), said: "I’ve been approached by a number of residents who live adjacent to this property and they all voice their concerns of its application for a change of use.

"The change from a residential property to one that will be used to house children with behavioural problems in a residential location is deeply distressing to the residents of this area.

"There are a number of issues that I found upsetting about this application.

"First of all, due process hadn’t taken place in regard to public consultation until a number of residents actually contacted the city council planning department after hearing that the property had been sold to Therapeutic Care Ltd.

"Why had there been no public notification regarding this application when the application was first submitted?

"Secondly, there are a number of care homes within the local area, all of which in the past have caused disruption to the local community, many of which still affect the close residents to these homes.

"Thirdly, the area where this care home is proposed is a residential area with an elderly population, with many unwilling to write individually to voice their objections to this application, so whilst this response from HNC is seen within the consultation process as a single objection, it is in fact an objection from many of the resident that would be significantly affected by this proposal.

"As a community organisation that represents the residents of Heysham, we object on behalf of those residents that have been able to contact us to voice their concerns."

A letter of support for the scheme, sent to the council, said that "although the company had only recently been established, it was formed by professionals, with many years of experience in the sector", "the needs of the individuals supported by the company are low, reducing the risk of challenging and disruptive behaviours, very much like the typical behaviours of any child, or which there are plenty living on this street" and "due to the supportive and community nature of Heysham, this may be a great place for them (the children) to settle, allowing them access to facilities they may not previously had access to, to allow them to develop into respectful adults".

Lancashire County Council Commissioning and Children's Health, said: "Therapeutic Care is a provider that is known to and used by Lancashire County Council.

"The home is a smaller home that will help meet an identified gap in local provision. We welcome the cascade condition which means that the home will provide a home for Lancashire children."

Lancashire Police said they neither objected to or supported the application and suggested CCTV, as well as an illuminated doorway and access control system "to protect staff, residents and visitors".

But the council report said: "Comments from Lancashire Constabulary are noted but their suggestion for the inclusion of security measures are considered to be overly onerous in this small-scale setting and it is understood that Ofsted and Social Services have specific requirements around safety and building surveillance."

Read more: Residents say they find plans for children's care home in Heysham 'deeply distressing' - Beyond Radio