A new home for young people with special needs has been approved as a help to some of the town’s most vulnerable children, despite numerous objections from residents.
Courtyard Care Ltd applied for planning permission to change a large home into a five-bedroom residential care facility for up to six children aged between seven and 18.
The home on Low Lane, Middlesbrough near the A174, Parkway would be staffed 24 hours a day with 25 staff working in shifts, seven during the day, four in evenings.
Tom Wilson, representing the company, said it would cater for vulnerable children with a learning disability, autism or related conditions, offering one-to-one support with closely controlled access and no children outside unsupervised. He told councillors: “It will avoid placing local children out of the region.
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“The scheme is intended to provide a long-term, secure, safe and supportive family setting to care for some severely disadvantaged children and to meet an identified local need.
“This type of small children’s home is intended to fulfil a residential purpose in a residential area. The children we support are some of the most vulnerable in society who are not judged to have capacity or the ability to safely go out of the service unaccompanied. ”
Responding to concerns, he said: “In our time running these types of services, we’ve not known a young person to be involved in any crime or similar activity. On the contrary, without being provided with the security and protection of a supportive care environment, our children would be at significant risk of potential abuse due to their vulnerability.”
The proposal received 28 objections and three letters of support. Objectors spoke at the Middlesbrough Council planning committee meeting on Friday (April 14).
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Kader councillor Jim Platt said: “I can see this being a real hazard with cars and buses going in and out and coming at all hours. From an environmental perspective, this is totally unsuitable.”
He also spoke of the high cost of children’s services: “In my opinion, Middlesbrough Council need to buy their own houses, employ their own staff instead of taking the easy way out, letting other companies do it (for) an obscene amount of money. If you choose to pass this, you will be supporting a totally unacceptable economic solution funded by the government and Middlesbrough taxpayers.”
Objectors said such a home would disturb the tranquillity of a “safe, peaceful and close-knit community” with potential noise from increased traffic, staff, and visitors, and expressed concern about risks of crime, anti-social behaviour and vandalism, parking and road issues and harm to property values.
One objector said she had worked in children’s homes for 45 years and had witnessed property and cars damaged by young people: “There’s violence, harassment, substance use… There would be disturbances because I know. It’s through the day and through the night. Absconding, police coming, doctors coming and causing much distress to people who live near.”
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Cllr Julia Rostron said she was concerned at these comments: “In my experience, special needs children do not cause problems in areas and neighbourhoods, and I’ve worked in social services for many years. We do have a lack of local facilities for children with special needs and it does cost a lot of money.
“We’ve sent children to other areas and I’m talking hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. If this facility can provide us with local care for children with special needs, I do think it will help in a lot of ways.”
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Council planners recommended approving the proposal, saying it would not harm the area.
Officer Paul Clarke said matters like finances, management, anti-social behaviour and house values were irrelevant to planning, leaving traffic and parking as the main consideration. “It’s considered there is sufficient parking on site,” he added.
“Yes, Low Lane is a busy road, we know that, and the level of traffic which will arise out of this development will not add significantly to that level of traffic.”
Cllr Janet Thompson said: “We have a duty to ensure that all children have a home. They have a right to a home.” Councillors voted to approve the plans.
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