Group of neighbours left enraged after planning meeting - but council says the change is ‘desperately needed’

Oldham Council approved the opening of a ‘controversial’ new children’s home in Shaw at a tense planning meeting on Wednesday (December 11).

More than 50 neighbours attended the meeting to express their anger about the ‘unsuitable’ home, which objectors claimed would cause traffic issues and ‘lower house prices’ due to antisocial behaviour. 

The four-bedroom property will now become a ‘stable home’ to three children aged seven to 17 with emotional needs, according to the residential care management firm Safe Hands.

Three members of staff would be on duty during the day – with between one and three remaining at night. 

But local resident Katie Nicholson tearfully asked councillors to ‘reject this application’ over impacts on the highway.

She told the committee: “The planning application states that the house will provide three parking spaces on the driveway.

"This is not physically possible – even if all three members of staff were forced to drive a Citroen 31 and had a master’s degree in parking.” 

Because of staffing, visits by social workers and an on-site vehicle for the home’s use, the home would likely need three to five parking spaces.

Lisa Navesey, an independent councillor, added: “This is not about nimbyism. … I’m a grandma to five children and I regularly drive them to school in this area.

"I fully understand how bad the parking is in that area. It’s really dangerous.” 

Yet other councillors countered that the four-bed home could easily have four cars parked outside if a family with grown-up children moved into it instead. 

“It’s nought to do with this children’s home,” Coun Peter Davis said.

“And by the way, we desperately need children’s homes in Oldham.” 

Another issue raised in objections was anti-social behaviour, which is often a stigma levelled at kids in care.

Addressing this, Toni Maguire, who will become the home manager, said: “I understand the concerns.

"But one percent of children involved in anti-social behaviour are placed in residential care, according to an NPCC report that came out in November.

"It is something that does happen – but it’s not something we’re worried about here.” 

Councillors ultimately noted they were ‘legally hamstrung’ by planning law anyway – as the change of use did not actually require legal planning permission and the application was little more than a courtesy from the residential care company.

The children’s home was approved on the condition that the developers provide a parking plan, which will show how they will extend the driveway to accommodate staff vehicles. 

The decision left many of the visitors to the meeting outraged, with the group consequently booing and hurling insults at the planning committee and the home manager.

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.