Distinctive Mansfield property could be converted into care home for youngsters
A large and distinctive property in a residential area of Mansfield could soon be converted into a home for children and teenagers needing specialised care.
A planning application has been submitted to Mansfield District Council for a change of use at 301 Berry Hill Lane, which is a five-bedroom, detached house, spread over three storeys, at the junction with Jenny Beckett’s Lane.
The plan is to turn it into a professionally managed, family-style home for up to five youngsters, aged between eight and 17, who have “social, emotional and mental-health difficulties”.
A garage on site would be converted into an office for staff, who would also have a sleep-in room created for a carer to stay overnight. A total of 13 staff would work on a rota basis, with a maximum of four on duty during the day.
The organisation behind the scheme is Rockhopper Children’s Services, which is part of the Uxbridge-based Kedleston Group, a company that provides care and “nurtures brighter futures” for neurodiverse children.
On behalf of Kedleston and Rockhopper, a planning statement has been sent to the council by the nationwide planning and regeneration consultancy, Nexus Planning.
It says: “Rockhopper currently operates six children’s homes across England, with the aim of supporting young people to thrive, flourish and reach their full personal potential.
"Its objective is to provide a safe, caring and nurturing environment for young people who are entering into young adulthood and preparing for independent living, further education or work.
"Rockhopper is committed to a programme of future expansion. This home would seek to emulate the care and support a young person would normally have in a family-home environment.
"All normal domestic duties, such as cooking, cleaning and gardening, would be shared by the children and the carers.”
The property boasts a “good-sized” and “well-screened” garden at the rear and a driveway that can accommodate at least five cars.
The Nexus statement insists it would be ideal for a children’s care home and also reassures neighbours who might be concerned.
"Children's homes are typically located within residential neighbourhoods to enable young people to live within a normalised domestic environment, supported by trained staff and integrated within the wider community,” the statement goes on.
“This model is well established and widely accepted. Appeal decisions have consistently indicated it cannot be assumed that children in care will generate higher levels of anti-social behaviour or noise than those within a typical family environment.
"Such settings are subject to professional management, with trained staff responsible for supervision and for addressing any behavioural issues that may arise.”
Rockhopper’s current children’s homes are in Derbyshire, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Surrey and Essex. The firm, which takes its name from rockhopper penguins who work together to protect their young, also offers residential care within a school.
The council’s planning officers are considering the Mansfield project and have set a deadline date of Monday, July 13 to make a decision or recommendation.
THE details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/