Proposals to change a bungalow in a cul-de-sac in Thornton into a children’s home for one young person have been refused by planners at Wyre.
The scheme entailed a change of use application for the property on Keepers Hey, with hardstanding of front garden to provide additional parking.
Concerns about the project, whose applicant was simply listed as Mark Kelly, were raised by residents, with 21 letters of objection lodged with planners.
One issue cited was that the children’s home would not be “aligned with the elderly demographic” of the area, as well as concerns about parking access, rising crime in the area being a potential problem for a vulnerable child, anti-social behaviour and limited bus routes.
A delegated planning report recommended that the scheme be refused, stating: “The proposal would provide a home where children could be cared for… and it is noted that there appears to be a shortage of children’s homes across the country.
“However, there is limited detail with this application on the local requirement for this children’s home, and the proposal is of small scale, therefore this benefit is afforded limited weight.”
In refusing the application, the planning report concluded: “The proposed change of use would result in an intensification of activity at the site, having regard in particular to the frequency and pattern of visits by staff, and an increased demand for on-street parking.
“The intensification of staff movements to/from the property on a regular and frequent basis, would result in an unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenity from noise and disturbance.
“The intensification of vehicles associated with the development and the inadequate parking at the site would result in increased on-street parking. In this cul-de-sac setting, this would have an unacceptable impact on the visual amenity of the street.”
It would lead to “cars parked in the street rather than off-street, which is characteristic of this road. Also, there would be unacceptable harm to the highway amenity of the street, with the potential for restricting vehicle and pedestrian movements.”
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