Residents object to plans for children’s home in Rotherham

Second Avenue Care has applied to convert a four bed home on Green Street, Greasebrough, into a residential care facility for up to three youngsters aged between nine and 17, with “emotional and behavioural needs and conditions”.

The applicant says the home will provide long-term placements, with the intent to progress “with the child or young person towards adulthood”.

Their application documents state that the home will “offer a responsive, caring and values led environment which place the child and young person atthe heart of all processes, decisions, and activities.

They add that staff will operate “effective risk management and safeguarding processes”, and that the home will provide a “family orientated home environment where children and young people can flourish”.

However, 41 residents have lodged objections to the plans, on the grounds of increased parking and disruption, road safety, noise and traffic, and house values in the area.

During a public meeting at Greasbrough Library on June 25, one resident asked where staff would park, adding that the “infrastructure is not here”.

Another resident added that the application had caused anxiety amongst nearby residents, adding that Green Street is “very quiet” and mostly populated by young families and elderly residents.

Another stated that they did not object to having a home for young people on the street, but were concerned about the home’s “location, and the impact ot’s going to have on residents and the young people in there as well.”

“There’s not sufficient access for emergency vehicles on the road,” one resident told the meeting, “this is going to be smack bang in the middle of a quiet, residential street”.

The written objections, on RMBC’s planning portal, cite a number of similar reasons for objecting to the plans.

One resident wrote: “Parking on this street is in short supply.

“This is a quiet residential street with very nice people and property prices will be impacted.”

Another wrote: “This will cause traffic chaos and possible delays to to emergency services.”

The applicant did not wish to comment.

Residents can comment on the plans until July 8