Residents in Olton have voiced their opposition to any further children's homes being established in their area, following complaints about late-night fireworks and noise disturbances linked to an existing facility. The objections were raised during a recent meeting of Solihull Council's planning committee, which was considering a new application for a children's home on Wilmcote Road.
Laura Mulcany, who resides on Bryanston Road, addressed the committee with her concerns. "The reason I'm here, I feel quite passionately - there is another children's home in the vicinity," she said. "It is directly behind my house on Stoner Park Road. We object to this as we now know children who are much older can contribute to anti-social behaviour. I have experienced numerous mornings in the middle of the week woken up at 4am because there are fireworks being set off or a party."
Approval Despite Police Objections
The Wilmcote Road proposal was ultimately approved, despite objections from West Midlands Police, who had raised anti-social behaviour concerns. Planning agent Chintan Shah argued that the home would operate "almost identically" to a family home and highlighted the officer's planning assessment that it "would not result in much harm."
Residents have expressed disappointment with the decision and fear that more applications will follow. One Bryanston Road resident told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "It (the fireworks) are always around midnight. I'm worried about the new one now. It's really bad, all the neighbours are against - one has a new baby."
Ongoing Disturbances on Stonor Park Road
Another resident described the situation on Stonor Park Road as ongoing: "The Stonor Park Road issues have been going on for 18 months. There is no rhyme or reason (for the fireworks) - it's just randomly happening and you hear laughing, joking, shouting."
A neighbour added: "We have heard parties at around 1am. It's been enough to wake us up and we are sleeping at the front of the house. The new one might be fine - but there are concerns."
George Hutchin, who has lived on Wilmcote Road for more than 20 years, said: "We are disappointed this new one got through. It's in the wrong location. We don't want it, we don't want any more. The area has changed from when we first moved in. The police objected, and no one took any notice of it. We hear the fireworks, anytime of the night and shouting (from the Stonor Park Road home). There's a place in Warwick Road, it has been derelict for years - why can't the kids live there?"
Concerns Over Operator Transparency
A neighbour expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding who would operate the new home: "My main concern is that the (Wilmcoe Road) one has gone through planning but they don't say who the operator is going to be. The welfare of children is not at the centre. Alarms bells ring when the police are against it."
A Stonor Park Road resident echoed these sentiments: "There have been fireworks on random dates. It's great to have provision for the children, but it needs to be clear who is running it when it goes through planning."
In April, Liberal Democrat councillor Laura McCarthy brought forward a motion for debate looking to strengthen planning policy on children's homes with a requirement to demonstrate a clear 'statement of purpose' and identify the proposed Ofsted-registered provider. That motion is set to be considered at a future meeting of the authority's children's services and education scrutiny board.
The LDRS approached the Stonor Park Road children's home for comment but did not receive a response.
