A fifth children’s home for a Leicestershire village has been given the go ahead in spite of claims suitable homes for families were being “lost”. Concerns about the lack of adequate parking has also been raised about the three-bed home’s application.
The certificate of lawfulness application, from operator Still Adventures, centres on the three-bed house in Croxton Kerrial. It is is home to a single child, supported by carers, and according to one villager has been in operation for “quite a few months”. Planning documents say the home provides “a stable home environment” for the child, and that it won’t be used as a “halfway house” or for emergency accommodation.
Melton Borough Council (MBC) granted Still Adventures’ application, ruling that no change of use is required under planning laws. However, Croxton Kerrial Parish Council has argued there is an “undue concentration of children’s homes in the area”, and says there is a sixth home located in nearby Branston, in the same parish. Concerns have also been raised over parking – with the parish council describing “dangerous car manuoevring” and a lack of “adequate parking space at the property” – and anti-social behaviour.
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Four villagers wrote to the borough council to object to Still Adventures’ application for the certificate. One said the homes “contribute nothing to the village”, which has a population of 531. The villager added: “The children do not attend the local school nor do the itinerant staff contribute socially to the village. Meanwhile the village has lost five family homes. Whilst these homes may be necessary, five in one small village is ridiculous.”
Another said: “We are losing neighbours who join our community activities, and help our elderly – instead we have people who come in shifts and do not engage in a community they are not emotionally invested in. We rely on each other, as we do not have the services which are taken for granted in a town, so the loss of neighbours has a greater impact on us.”
But MBC says the way the house will be used “would be largely the same as if the resident was a normal child/young person living in a family home. ”A report prepared by a council planning officer confirmed the use of the house as a “small scale children’s care home” wouldn’t count as a change of use,” meaning the certificate could be granted.
Croxton Kerrial, where villagers claim there are now five children’s homes.
(Image: Google)
In documents submitted to the council, planning agent Mike Sibthorp, on behalf of the applicant, said: “The applicant’s intention is to provide a stable home environment for the child/young person, where the property as their main and sole residence, and their long-term home. The length of stay is more than temporary or passing. It would certainly not be any sort of ‘halfway’ house, nor would it provide overnight emergency accommodation for example.” Mr Sibthorp said the property has a garage and a “large adjacent parking area”, adding: “There will be a maximum of three cars at the property and there is more than adequate space within the plot to accommodate this.”
Leicestershire has seen dozens of applications for planning permission and for lawful development certificates for children’s homes in the last two years, sparking complaints from local residents. Speaking to LeicestershireLive about the situation last year, a spokesperson for the Children’s Home Association, which represents caregivers, said “distorted” views of children’s homes were putting vulnerable children at risk.
They added: “A children’s home is a place where a child or young person can receive the care and support they need in a homely environment, that is as much like a family home as possible, and where they can enjoy all the aspects of childhood, and their right to education, community and future opportunity.”
Abigail Gill, associate head of policy and public affairs at the NSPCC, said: “The new Government must commit the investment required to stabilise the system and allow for more resources to be spent on preventative early intervention and ensure the roll out of widespread reform at pace.”
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