THURROCK Council is being asked to approve another house being turned into a children’s home.
The owners of 171 Southend Road, Stanford-le-Hope are seeking permission to turn a large family home into a care home for up to five children.
While the imposing building will not be altered, a garage is set to be demolished.
The home is designed to offer “stable, medium to long-term care placements”. There will be no staff living on site but five carers will work on a rotational basis, with typically two to three staff members on-site at a time to “ensure consistent care and supervision”.
In their application, Benfleet-based PBS Care Homes Limited, said: “This setup aligns with the aim to maintain a balanced and home-like environment, avoiding an institutional feel. The children will attend local schools where possible, to provide stability and a sense of community. “They will also be encouraged to attend local community-based activities such as sports clubs. There will be occasional visits from social workers, education professionals, and family members, primarily by appointment.”
The applicant added: “These visits will be carefully scheduled to minimise any disruption to the household environment and maintain consistency for the residents.
“We anticipate only a minimal increase in vehicle movements, mostly limited to staff arrivals and departures at shift change times, as well as occasional visitor arrivals.”
The property has five bedrooms as well as a two offices and communal spaces and staff and residents will have access to shared facilities “ensuring a communal living environment”.
The applicant said the minimal alterations proposed will mean that the property will continue to function in a manner comparable to its current residential use.
The application follows a number of recent requests to turn residential Thurrock homes into children’s homes. PBS Care Homes cites seven successful applications in the last two years to support its own application.
