Inspector rejects unauthorised care homes

A government inspector has sided with a council in rejecting plans that would have allowed two unauthorised care homes to stay open.

The houses in Merridale Street West, Wolverhampton, were turned into care homes for up to four people aged between eight and 25, without City of Wolverhampton Council permission.

The authority turned down retrospective applications that would have allowed the care homes to remain, saying they had "generated disruptive noise".

Applicant Double 8 Care Ltd then appealed to the government's planning inspectorate - but they said the council gave figures that showed there was no demand for small children's care homes in the city, but an increasing need for family homes.

The authority's children's services had stated there was "a sufficient supply of premises to meet planned and future need for children's care homes", planning inspector Alexander O'Doherty said.

He added that when he visited, the road had the appearance of a quiet residential street, but people had described "frequent police attendance and verbal altercations escalating into aggressive confrontations".

West Midlands Police had corroborated concerns of residents, the planning inspector stated.

The council added that the number of people using the care homes and the lack of available parking spaces would become a "further source of tension".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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