Plans have been approved to turn a terraced house into a residential care home for two children aged between five and 17. The property on Regina Street, in Smallthorne, is “due to vacated in the next six months” according to a certificate of lawful proposed use application submitted to Stoke-on-Trent City Council by Fenton-based ABC Properties.
The planning statement reads: “The proposal is to provide two children within the age range of five to 17 years old a home and will be looked after by a maximum of two trained carers 24 hours a day and seven days a week. This would consist of two trained carers day time shift and one trained carer who would be on a sleepover shift.
“Care would be given in a domestic environment with carers sharing facilities in a manner akin to a family with no lock on bedroom doors. The children will have their own bedrooms and unrestricted use of common rooms a normal dwelling would provide. The dwelling will be registered with Ofsted and will not include registered nursing care.
“Training and meeting would be arranged off-site. The children would visit healthcare professionals off-site as per a normal family operation. Typically the children would visit the parents off-site under the supervision of duty carers, however limited occasions and when absolutely necessary, home visits could be arranged with no more than six visits a year.”
It adds: “This Lawful Development Certificate submission seeks confirmation that the use of a dwelling house to provide care for two children aged between five to 17 years of age, by a maximum of two carers would not amount to a material change of use for which planning permission is required.”
The application has been approved.
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