Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application for permission for a change of use from a single family dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) into a Residential Care Home (Use Class C2) at 178 Town Street, Middleton, Leeds, LS10 3TH.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented an application for the permission of a change of use from single family dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) into a residential care home (Use Class C2) at 178 Town Street, Middleton, Leeds, LS10 3TH.

Photographs and slides were shown throughout the officer presentation, and the following information was provided:

·  The applicant seeks permission for a change of use from a single family dwellinghouse (C3) to a Residential Care Home for children with special and learning disabilities between the ages of 8-17 years old (C2).

·  The accommodation will provide support to 2 children who will be receiving care and will be a place of work for 3-4 members of staff, who will be providing care for children residing there.

·  The applicant has proposed construction of a 1.8m close board timber fence behind the existing boundary wall and vegetation.

·  Main issues arising from the comments in objection is the principle of the development, highway safety and amenity issues. Residents object on the grounds that the proposals negatively impact the established character of the locality, and the introduction of a care home is considered inappropriate.

·  Officers believe that the care of 2 children is low intensity and the same as a traditional family of 4 living in a dwellinghouse, and it will not disrupt the residential character of the area.

·  It is proposed that there will be a sensory room on ground floor level and 2 bedrooms to the rear on the 1^st floor. There will be a central family bedroom and staff bedroom to the front of the property.

·  The size of the internal floor area and the rear amenity is not likely to cause an impact.

·  There is enough parking within the curtilage of the property. There is hard standing space to the front of the property.

·  A saturation of care facilities in the area was referred to. Having two care facilities within proximity is not considered to cause harm to cohesion or balance in the area.

A local elected member attended the meeting as an objector, and provided the Panel with the following information:

·  There are concerns with residents on how the proposals will impact on property sale values.

·  There are a lot of care facilities in the area already, and not as many in the rest of the ward.

·  There has been a lack of communication with residents, and consultation could have potentially reduced the number of objections received.

·  It only takes 1 child to cause issues.

·  Madiba’s website explains that they work with children with mental health conditions and substance misuse. There are concerns with residents on the type of children living in the properties.

·  Middleton Park has recently introduced parking charges, and people will park on Town Street. It is believed that the property does not have space for parking for 5 vehicles and they will park on the street.

·  The road is bad for speeding, and there are already speed calming measures that are ignored.

Further to questions from Panel Members, Cllr Dixon confirmed the following:

·  Concerns that anti-social behaviour may occur.

·  Concern on the noise of the alarms going off through the night, and the impact this may have on residents.

·  Madiba has not consulted with residents.

·  It is believed that the provision of such care facilities should be spread out across all wards and not concentrated in one area.

Panel Members commented on the following:

·  It is acknowledged that consultation and conversations with residents would have alleviated some concerns and the applicant was urged to undertake this for any future applications.

·  Whether there is scope for Development Plan Panel to investigate the need for a policy on this time of application, and more specifically, the density of such care facilities. It was recommended that the Chair pass on this request to officers.

·  This type of provision is needed in Leeds and the proposals provide a facility for a couple of very disadvantaged young people.

Upon voting, the officer recommendation was moved and seconded. Therefore it was.

RESOLVED – To grant planning permission as per the officer recommendation, as well as amending conditions relating to the Management Plan and Adherence to include a commitment to public consultation.