Isle of Wight children's home approved in East Cowes

County Hall’s planning committee has voted unanimously to grant consent to Mr and Mrs Surman for a change of use of a residential property in East Cowes, subject to conditions.

The approval comes amid a significant local, regional, and national shortage of both foster care homes and Ofsted-registered children’s residential homes, according to the council.

Planners previously recommended conditional permission and said the plans would assist the government and local authority’s aims to move from larger institutional care for children, to smaller, localised and more family-oriented means of care, allowing better outcomes.

Martha James (LDRS)

Martha James, representing objector East Cowes Town Council (ECTC), told the committee on Tuesday (September 8) that ECTC recognises there is a shortage of children’s homes but it believes County Hall doesn’t have to approve a “sub-standard” application simply because of that.

She said: “It is vitally important for children that the council makes the right decision which meets the regulations and safety of the occupiers and also the safety of the surrounding residents.

“ECTC objected on these grounds: the lack of fire safety information, the lack of fire evacuation strategy, no evidence of compliance with building regulations, that the building is a standard domestic layout which they believe is not adequate for a children’s home and highways and parking.

“The parking Supplementary Planning Document is clear: there is not enough on-site (parking) provision and we’re saying there is an increase in 3.5 spaces compared to now…parking in that area is in really short supply.”

Cllr Matthew Price (LDRS)

Cllr Matthew Price, Conservative chair of the planning committee, said a children’s home was previously approved in his ward which he said is working well.

“It’s a very similar sort of thing, an entirely different property but it still came with the same sort of concerns. It provides a very important facility to keep children local to where they live,” he told the chamber.

“The fact that there are children that aren’t safe in their own home is a frightening thing.

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“To then take them away from the area they know, there may be reasons – sometimes they have to be taken away…to be taken out of school, to be moved to an unfamiliar place has a massive impact on young children so having these facilities is really important.

“The parking – I can’t see there’s going to be six parking spaces required. I think it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll suddenly have four 17 or 18-year-olds having cars that live in that house. So, I don’t share that concern.”

Turning to the building’s health and safety, Cllr Price said fire compliance was not really for the planning committee to determine. He said the relevant team would be “diligent” in ensuring requirements are met.

Cllr Bill Nigh, a Reform UK member of the committee, proposed the application be accepted and said there was a “desperate need” for accommodation of this type.