Agenda item

Full: Proposed change of use from dwelling (Use Class C3a) to Residential Care (Use Class C2) for one child.

Mr Adam Birkett, Chief Planning and Transportation Officer presented the report to the committee.

Mr Birkett noted its similarity to the previous application in its features. Comprising of a detached house in a residential area. Featuring a 4 bedroom property, with a bathroom and an ensuite, living room, dining room, kitchen and wc. The property has 2 allocated parking spaces.

The application proposed a change of use from dwelling (Use Class C3a) to Residential Care (Use Class C2) for one child. This would be the child’s main residence and staff would attend on a rotor/ shift basis.

13 Objections have been received from neighbouring residents and an objection from Altham Parish Council.

Lancashire County Councils Children’s Services provided objections to the application as per the report.

Lancashire County Councils Highways and Hyndburn Borough Councils Environmental Health Team have raised no objections. 

Mr Birkett noted that there is an existing Children’s Care Home next door at number 28. In accordance with the Supplementary Planning Guidance the distance between Children’s Care Homes should be a minimum of 400 metres.

The application was recommended for refusal as per the report.

Members of the committee noted the similarities to the previous application and agreed that having 2 Children’s Homes next door was not a good idea and would significantly impact parking in the area and the residential character of the street.

Resolved – The committee voted by unanimous decision to refuse the application as per officer recommendation.

1.    The proposed Children’s Care Home is located within a residential area, adjacent to another similar care home on the same residential road. It would provide two off-street parking spaces, which would be insufficient to accommodate staff cars during the shift-change period, and cars of other persons visiting the premises, resulting in vehicles parking on the street and due to the narrow highway width likely parking partly on the footway. There would be a cumulative impact arising from the proposed use together with the existing use which would adversely affect the safety and convenience of pedestrians and other road users, and would detrimentally change the established residential character of the area in conflict with policies Env7 of the Hyndburn Core Strategy and DM32 of the Development Management DPD and contrary to the Children’s Residential & Supported Accommodations SPG.

2.     The proposed development, by virtue of its failure to demonstrate a local need and its nature and scale failing to align with Lancashire Children's Services commissioning strategies is contrary the Children’s Residential & Supported Accommodations SPG and the National Planning Policy Framework.

N.B. – 1. Altham Parish Councillor Rennie Pinder – Spoke against the application.

·         Similar application in relation to the previous agenda item.

·         The cumulative impact of having a Children’s Home next door would significantly increase parking demand and put pressure on local service.

·         Asked the committee to vote with the officer recommendation.

2.    Jonathan Chadwick. – Spoke against the application.

·         Speaking on behalf of the neighbouring residents.

·         A cluster of care facilities changes the nature of the neighbourhood.

·         The proposal offers no benefit to the local community.

·         The existing care home has already caused an increase in antisocial behaviour and takes up far more parking spaces than the 2 attached to the property.

·         Professional meetings often cause there to be as many as 6 cars at the address at one time.