A HEAD teacher spoke passionately against siting a hotel just metres away from her primary school, saying she had “not slept worrying about the risks to our children”.

Karen Norton, head of Junction Farm in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, spoke out at a planning meeting where councillors were deciding whether to allow retrospective permission for the conversion of a care home to a hotel.

The Abbeyfield Lodge guest house has been running for more than a year but owner William Gate is only now seeking permission to change its use.

But the head, chair of governors, and the manager of the on-site Butterfield Nursery, which is only 11 metres away from the hotel, all raised concerns about child protection.

Ms Norton told Stockton councillors: “There is increasing evidence that hotels are being used to “groom” children who pose as family members and sadly we know that this is a very real concern in the Tees Valley.

“I have not slept worrying about the increased risks to our children and the consequences of having unknown and uncontrolled people overlooking and living near to our school.

“It is a known fact that sexual predators and paedophiles find it difficult to get housing for obvious reasons because of all the safeguarding measures put in place each time in response to a serious incident.

“The fact is a paedophile known to the relevant authorities could book into this hotel for any length of time and take a room peering through windows at my children or almost legitimately hanging around outside the school gates.”

She said parents were “beside themselves with worry”.

Councillors were told by planning officers that child protection issues were not material planning considerations and their decision could not be made on this basis.

Cleveland Police did not object to the hotel, saying no complaints had been received since the hotel had been running.

But Cllr David Wilburn said he felt the police “should have taken this issue far more seriously”, and carried out a proper risk assessment before commenting on the application.

Planning consultant Anton Lang, for the hotel, said: “The duty to protect has to be applied reasonably, proportionately and fairly. Any refusal would be difficult for the council to defend on appeal.”

Planning officers at the council said they could not find any evidence of there being safeguarding issues with hotels being placed next to schools. Ms Norton argued this was because she was not aware of any other school in the UK that had been faced with this.

Councillors voted seven in favour of the hotel, with three against.