Bid to turn Pedmore house into children's home thrown out

A BID to turn a Pedmore house into a children's home has been turned down after more than 50 neighbours and a local councillor objected.

The application to convert the five-bedroom house on the corner of Dorchester Road and Stevens Road into a home for children with learning difficulties or who have suffered emotional trauma, was refused on June 20.

The unnamed applicant said the home would cater for four or five children, aged eight-16, who were in the care of the local authority.

Fifty-eight neighbours objected with concerns including inadequate parking, noise from children and vehicles, an increase in anti-social behaviour and loss of property values.

One said: "This change of use is completely out of character with the current area which is currently a quiet residential area of predominantly retired residents."

The house on the corner of Dorchester Road and Stevens Road, Pedmore (Image: Google)

Another said: "With an antisocial hotspot already in the local vicinity, and with local residents consisting of elderly/retired people and families, there is a strong concern there will be an increase in antisocial behaviour that would have a detrimental impact on the estate."

Pedmore and Stourbridge East councillor Jason Thorne also objected saying: "This whole planned change of use looks more like a plan to get an HMO in through the guise of a children’s home."

He also said there was no proper consultation with neighbours and that the number of staff and visitors would result in on-street parking.

The applicant said there would be three staff on site most of the time and two staff overnight.

Planners turned down the application stating it would "result in unacceptable harm to the character of the area."

A report by planners says the home would be "out of character with the surrounding area which is residential and characterised by family dwellings.

"The number of children, staff and associated visitors, would lead to a number of vehicle movements and car parking, that is considered above and beyond which is normally incidental to a dwellinghouse.

"As such, the development would lead to the proposal being highly prominent and noticeable within the streetscene and would detract from this strong character of family homes."