The Carisbrooke Road house will be altered to become a small residential care home providing accommodation for children and young people.
Wolverhampton based Double 8 Care submitted a planning application to Sandwell Council through Indigo Architects despite the care home remaining ‘residential’.
The architects planning statement said “A small care home providing for children is still classed as residential, and the day-to-day use of a small residential care home providing accommodation for children and young people is very similar to any other dwelling.
“The care home providing home for CLA’s dependent on their adult carers, as indeed any other child would reside with, and be dependent upon, their adult carers (i.e., parents, stepparents, foster parents). This is not then materially different to the operations of a dwelling house where children will often reside, including those with specialist needs who are able to be cared for in their family home.”
The architects argue though the family home will now be an official home it does not need planning permission.
They said: “It follows that the principle of alternative residential uses, provided they are not materially different to a typical dwelling house, concerning the repurposing of an existing residential property in an established residential settlement, should not require the grant of separate planning permission as it would not constitute a material change of use.”
North Devon District Council blocked a similar application by Southern Childcare due to fears of the behaviour of the young people housed in the home. However, the Planning Inspectorate overruled the council.
The Inspectorate did concede homes like the new one planned on Carisbrooke Road would see care workers enter and reenter the property.
He said: “The use and associated activity, including the comings and goings of care workers, would be unlikely to cause a greater level of disturbance or amenity harm than could otherwise occur through occupation by a family. Whereas a home for three or four children would mean neighbours noticed the difference.
The ruling means if a dwelling is classed as a small children’s home there would only be two children or young people there at any time. Depending on the needs of the children there could several carers dedicated to the care of one child.
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