Children's homes approved despite council concerns
Getty ImagesNew children's homes will open in the countryside despite opposition from a council.
The proposals by Grace Jardine for three properties at Hole House Farm, near Lanchester, were approved by Durham County Council's planning committee to help meet the shortage of children's residential placements.
Although the council agreed with the need for more children's homes across the county planning officers said the proposed scheme "would not result in a safe environment".
But the local authority's planning committee went against the recommendation and approved the application.
Each property will accommodate two children aged between seven and 17.
In the planning statement, the applicant said the homes will be family-style compared to institutional settings.
'Tranquil rural surroundings'
However, the council said another children's home in the area would have a "detrimental impact on community cohesion" because of the existing number of similar properties nearby, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The site's countryside location also meant it was not close to essential services or public transport, leaving residents and staff reliant on private cars, the planning report said.
Officers said the number of journeys associated with caring for the children, combined with those generated by a neighbouring children's home, would result in a "sizable amount of journeys by unsustainable modes of transport".
Labour county councillor for the Lanchester ward, Alison Gray, supported the scheme.
She said the development would help address a shortage of children's residential placements through an approved provider and believed the rural area would provide a safe and peaceful environment for vulnerable young people.
"The location is perfect," Gray said.
"The tranquil rural surroundings will be idea for children who have had difficult experiences.
"It also means they are isolated from more negative influences in local towns."
