Solihull Council's planning committee has approved the conversion of a family home in Shirley into a children's care home, marking the fourth such approval during a single, five-hour-long meeting. The decision, made on September 9, allows a three-bedroom semi-detached property on Delrene Road to house two children in care aged between five and 17.
The application, submitted to Solihull Council in July, was brought forward by applicant Manawar Hussain. In his submission, Hussain argued there is "no unacceptable concentration or clustering" of children's homes in the immediate Shirley locality. He stated: "The level of activity, vehicle movements, and pattern of comings and goings will not be materially different from those of a typical family household. No adverse impact on residential amenity, highway safety, or the character of the area will result."
Objections and Safeguarding Concerns Raised
During a public consultation, seven letters of objection were submitted, raising concerns over parking, highway safety, and the potential change to the character of the area. These objections were echoed by ward councillor Prish Sharma, who addressed the committee before the vote.
Councillor Sharma said: "The planning statement asks you to take the applicant's own assurances about staffing, qualifications and safeguarding entirely on trust. This is not good for this kind of application. Along with all the residents, we are not asking this committee to say children's homes have no place in Shirley or in Solihull. If this committee is minded to approve it must at minimum attach robust conditions. Proof of Ofsted registration prior to occupation, evidence of operator's track record and financial standing and a safeguarding plan. I ask the committee to defer or refuse the application until safeguards are demonstrated, not assumed."
Committee chairman Councillor Bob Grinsell opened the debate by noting: "This is the fifth one (children's home application) tonight. I'm not sure there is anything in our remit to consider based on what Coun Sharma stated."
Planning Officers Address Limits of Committee Powers
Planning officer Jon Hallam responded to the concerns, stating: "We have had a few of these, they have all raised the same issues. Coun Sharma's concerns relate to safeguarding issues which are separate to the planning assessment." Planning solicitor Arhamna Jafri added: "You can't put planning conditions on regarding Ofsted. We can't repeat what is governed by other responsible bodies."
Councillor James Bradley acknowledged the limitations of the current system, saying: "I think all of us feel probably there is an ideal set of legislation we would like to see regarding these, that is not the legislation we sit under. It would be nice to have Ofsted and planning linked up so we have approved things at the point planning permission is requested. We know who it (the operator) will be and have permission from Ofsted. But it's not the system we are operating under. We can only consider what we can consider."
Committee Vote and Other Approvals
When the chairman moved to the vote, the scheme was approved with five committee members voting in favour, one against, and two abstentions. The item came at the end of a five-hour meeting where children's homes in Millsons Wood, Olton, and Castle Bromwich were also approved, with a decision delayed on a fourth in Shirley.
