Agenda item

This application was being reported to the Planning Committee because the number of objections received exceeded that which could be considered by Officers.

Officers presented the report and in doing so, drew Members’ attention to the presentation slides on pages 17 to 25 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack.

The application was for the Land at Battens Close, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 7HY and sought the change of use of two residential dwellings from class C3 (dwellinghouse) to Class C2 (residential institution).

Officers drew Members’s attention to page 20 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack and identified the location for the application. The positions of the local dwellings and school were also highlighted by Officers.

There were no alterations to either dwelling proposed in the application, the application only sought to change the Class use from C3 to C2.

It was proposed that the dwellings would each have 1-2 children between 7 and 17 years of age living on site. There would be a shift pattern for the carers, the day shift would be 08:00 to 20:00 hours, changing over with a night shift 20:00 to 08:00 hours. There would be regular inspections by Ofsted to assess the running of the residential institution.

In addressing the concerns raised during the public consultation, Officers highlighted that the application was only before Members due to the change of use, if the primary carers lived on site, then there would be no change of use and the application would not be before the committee.

It was further addressed that there had not been any objections raised by consultees which included Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) in regard to noise and nuisance.

At the invitation of the Chair, a number of local residents addressed the Committee in objection, Ian Cutts spoke in person, Maurice Court addressed the Committee via a video link and statements by Tim Hingston and Nigel Clarke were read out by Officers. Peter Icke, the Applicant’s Agent and Junaid Butt, of TJY Care Ltd. addressed the Committee in support of the application.

The following was clarified by Officers following questions from Members.

• That there would be up to two staff on site in each of the dwellings during the day and the night.
• That there were no proposed gates at the entrance to Battens Close, the gates were situated closer to the property.
• That details for the refuse collection area would be submitted by the applicant and an additional Condition (9) would cover their provision detailed on page 5 of the Update Reports pack.

Members then proceeded to debate the application which Officers had recommended for approval.

A general support for the application was voices by Members, stating that the Council had a duty to house children in a safe environment. It was also stated that the change of use from C3 to C2 was a small part of the residential homes getting approval and that Ofsted would be in regular contact with the site and would determine if the site was performing adequately and safely.

Members expressed the opinion that although the shift handover could present some disruption, it was not known how the carers would arrive for work and that not all may drive so the impact on local parking was unknown.

The possibility of attaching a Condition to the application to clarify the number of carers on site at any one time was discussed, however, Members expressed the opinion that how the site was run would be a management decision which would be decided in conjunction with Ofsted and thus a condition would not be advisable.

On being put to a vote it was:

RESOLVED that

having had regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations, planning permission be GRANTED subject to:

a)    Conditions 1 to 8 as outlined on pages 48 to 49 of the Public Reports pack

b)    The additional Condition 9 as detailed on page 5 of the Update Reports pack.

With the approval of the Chair, there was a short adjournment between 21:08 and 21:13 hours.