Rotherham care home refused permission for caravans to house ‘migrant workers’ who ‘struggle to rent locally’

Glades Nursing Home in the Grade II* Listed former Dinnington Hall applied to place two static caravans in the grounds, for use as staff accommodation.

According to a report to the planning board, “the applicant has indicated that the caravans are required to house migrant workers who due to their immigration status and low wages struggle to rent properties locally.”

RMBC received 18 objections from residents, and an additional objection from Dinnington Town Council.

Dinnington Town Council stated that they “do not consider that the accommodation is appropriate for housing,” and that caravans are not appropriate within the setting of a listed building.”

Residents raised concerns around potential overlooking of neighbouring properties and loss of privacy, as well as “security and privacy of staff at the neighbouring vets as there is no security fence in situ.”

One resident stated that “the nursing home could recruit local staff,” and another added that “there is available housing locally that could be provided for the staff.”

During the planning board’s meeting on February 24, applicant Paul Milner of Conniston Care Limited said that the service is “struggling…to recruit and retain staff.”

Mr Milner added that he caravans are a “short term” solution, until staff are established in the community.

“We keep up with all the minimum wage requirements. There’s about 200 staff we need locally to support about 200 beds,” he told the meeting.

“We look as far as we can to recruit from overseas.

“The problem is, that they come into the country with no bank account, no references, so for short periods of time, we need to look after them and then get them out into the normal accommodation market.

“Local landlords will not look at these people because of those issues. They have waiting lists for fully vetted tenants, ready to access any properties that are available.”

Councillor David Smith, chair of Dinnington Town Council, said the council doesn’t believe the caravans will provide “acceptable accommodation for staff”.

“We believe that there should be proper accommodation, not in some mobile home or some caravan,” he told the meeting.

Mr Wright, a resident, said: “It’s 2023, and we’re putting people in caravans, or mobile homes, to live on site. I appreciate that it’s hard, but…there’s plenty of houses for rent in Dinnington.”

Chris Wilkins, planning manager at RMBC, said that the accommodation will be “temporary in terms of the length of time that any individual would be in there.

“Because of their particular circumstances they can’t just go straight into the rented market.”

Councillor Drew Tarmey suggested that the scheme be refused, on the grounds that it would “materially harm the setting of the surrounding designated heritage asset,” and that “public benefit would not outweigh detrimental harm”.

Councillors voted to overturn the planning officer’s recommendation and refuse the scheme.