PLANS for a children’s home on vacant land at Fairfield & Howley, Warrington, has been approved by planners despite opposition from nearby neighbours.
The proposed construction involves a four-bed children’s home with two staff bedrooms and a bungalow structure containing two, one-bed apartments with staff accommodation above.
The site is on vacant land owned by Warrington Borough Council on Helsby Street, Fairfield And Howley, Warrington.
In opposition to the application one nearby resident said: “We as residents do not need or want another children’s home at the bottom of our street. There is one 5 minutes away. This will considerably devalue residents’ properties who have bought their houses. There is no room for residents to park as it is and it will be havoc for traffic coming and going and emergency services having access to the street will be restricted even more than what it is already this will put life’s at risk.
“We have overspill parking from the doctors and the streets surrounding already. Emissions will be higher in the area with all of the people and staff coming and going from there at all hours of the day and night. The noise also will be a problem for residents on this street and also the elderly residents in the bungalows adjacent and all of the wildlife as there is a nature reserve so that will also be affected.
“The elderly residents on the next street will also be affected by all of the above.”
But planners have approved the application under delegated powers.
Previous uses of the site mainly consist of a space for lockable garage structures as well as a previous location for a Scout Group H.Q around 1981.
The proposed use of the new structures will be for the Child Services sector of Warrington Council.
One of the buildings will be used as a Children’s home, with 4 separate bedrooms for young persons using the Child services, one being used as an accessible bedroom, along with shared living space and sensory room as well as a staff office space and 2 bedrooms being used for staff accommodation space.
The second proposed building will have 2 no. 1 bed apartments, with two separate apartments on the ground floor level to allow for two separate accommodations, with a third apartment on the first-floor level to allow for Staff accommodation.
In support of the application it was stated that plans have been developed to introduce a new service – a Complex Needs Hub for Mental Health. Children and Young People’s emotional health and well-being can be more closely monitored and improved if they are able to stay in their own communities rather than being placed in out-of-borough placements.
The purpose of this provision is to support more young people to remain living and learning locally and to significantly reduce the need for out-of-borough placements.
There will also be space on site for a smaller property to be used for as supported accommodation to help prepare young people for independent living and provide a steady transition from care.
The provision of this home would boost the service’s capacity to support more young people in their own community, and amongst family, friends and familiar surroundings. In addition, it will offer an opportunity to “stay close” and learn how to be independent in a safe and secure way when it’s time to move on from the children’s home.
Council draw up plans for children’s home to support youngsters with complex mental health needs
