'We’re not talking about hardened criminals': Mansfield children’s home approved despite residents’ concerns
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Nottinghamshire County Council’s planning committee met on January 28, to discuss the change of use of a house in a neighbourhood in Mansfield.
Applicant Homes2Inspire, a provider for children’s homes, applied to turn the property in Berry Hill into a children’s home for two children aged between five and 18, with space for carers. The plans were approved by the committee with eight votes for and two against.
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Hide AdResidents and councillors both expressed concerns over safety and noise during the meeting.


One neighbour to the house said: “My issue is that we will have two vulnerable properties because my daughter is also quite vulnerable.
“I bought this house having that comfort that my children will be safe and be safe in their home – not saying that the other children won’t bring safety but I just don’t have that worry that my children will feel.”
Another said: “I don’t want to come across that this is a NIMBY [not in my back yard]-type objection.
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Hide Ad“It introduces a second diverse element- noise, disturbance, nuisance 24 [hour], 365-day basis, with no consideration for the existing property owners.”
Coun André Camilleri (Con), speaking on behalf of residents, added there is a “heightened feeling of anxiety, vulnerability and insecurity amongst quite an elderly place”.
The committee also heard concerns about the property “looking like a car park”.
The meeting was told 13 neighbour letters were sent to give awareness to the proposals, alongside a notice.
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Hide AdCoun Philip Owen (Con) said he had “no problems with NIMBYs”, adding: “If you don’t look after your own back yard who else will?
“With experience of one in my division where I had residents onto me, we had to have a meeting with all the residents on the road, the police were involved, the police issued a notice, they were being disturbed in the early hours of the morning.”
Responding to the safety and disturbance worries, Coun Jim Creamer (Lab) said: “These are vulnerable children we’re talking about, we’re not talking about hardened criminals… I think we should remember that.”
Coun Mike Quigley (Con) gave his experiences of fostering in support of the application, saying: “This house could be occupied by people who foster, I had foster children who were off the rails and the police were regular visitors to our house.”
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Hide AdCoun Richard Butler (Con), also speaking in support, said: “This is for two children, we don’t know what the background is, but conversely you would have no idea what the family in a normal house sale situation would be like moving in there.
“[It’s] quite a heavily-policed situation, professional staff living there and visiting there, the chances are you will have better interaction and response from this situation than you might have with a problem family.”
Homes2Inspire have 82 residential homes across Nottinghamshire, with six in Mansfield.
A total of 192 children in the council’s care are from Mansfield, which is 20 per cent of the overall population of children in care in the county.
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