Church plan for HMO in Mansfield town centre as children's home changes are revealed

The eight-bedroom HMO (house in multiple occupation) for people who need assisted living is proposed for the first and second floors of the Arena Church building on Leeming Street, opposite the Andwhynot bar and grill.

Arena itself has submitted a planning application to Mansfield District Council as part of a scheme to renovate its large, multi-storey, detached premises.

A planning statement, issued through the church’s pastors, married couple Josh and Helen Turner, says the two floors are “partly used as office space but are predominantly vacant and in need of repair”.

The plan does not include the ground floor, which is used as a place of worship, food club, community shop and free coffee morning venue, nor the third floor, which is “mainly in a state of deterioration”.

The Turners say the HMO would “utilise derelict and unused rooms”, with outdoor space used for parking and waste storage.

If the scheme is given the go-ahead, the eight rooms would be occupied by people who can live independently but need help and support with daily activities. There would be a shared kitchen and bathrooms.

Because the building is so close to the town centre and to shops, amenities and public transport links, the Turners feel it is ideal for such a development, which would “have no impact on the character and appearance of the area”.

Arena, which also has locations in Ilkeston, Belper and Nottingham, is described as “a vibrant and contemporary grassroots church”, which “welcomes every area of society”. It hosts not only services but community events and activities too.

The council’s planning officers are currently considering the plan and hope to make a decision, or recommendation, before Christmas. Residents can post their comments on the council’s website here.

Meanwhile, the two children’s care homes in focus are four-bedroom family properties at 22 Grizedale Rise in Forest Town and 21 Opal Close, near Berry Hill in Mansfield.

Earlier this year, the council granted permission for both to be converted into care homes for one vulnerable child, aged between seven and 17, who would be supervised round the clock by staff.

Neither has opened yet and now the company behind the plans, One Home Care, has gone back to the council, asking for the number of children living at each property to be increased to two.

One Home Care, which specialises in finding and running ‘haven’ homes where vulnerable children can “play, relax and eventually begin to heal”, has employed JS Planning Services, of Derbyshire, as its agent.

A statement by JS says the homes would “operate in an almost identical manner to that of a family household”, with staff assuming the role of parents.

The original applications attracted concern from the police, who insisted on management plans being drawn up to counter the possibility of bad behaviour or the youngsters being dragged into crime.

Only two objections from neighbours were received by the council for the Opal Close home, but 31 objections and an 89-signature petition were submitted by concerned residents in relation to the Grizedale Rise home.

The council’s decisions on the revised plans are expected by mid-December.