We will not be housing asylum seekers, sex offenders or addicts in this house near Simonside Metro Station

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received an application for 39 Fenwick Avenue in the Simonside and Rekendyke ward, near the Simonside Metro Station in South Shields.

The applicant is listed as care provider Changing Lives and plans include converting the existing “six-bedroom residential dwelling” into “five ensuite / private shower rooms or bathroom”.

Applicants are seeking permission to change the use of the building from residential to a planning use for “people who require ‘care and support’ 24/7.”

Changing Lives, in a statement, have said there has been “misinformation” around the scheme and have clarified details of the proposed service.

This includes the property “accommodating a small number of single women between the ages of 18 and 80, alongside one short-term space”.

Changing Lives stated the service would be “staffed at all times by support workers who provide tailored support to help residents move forward positively and independently”.

It was noted that “this purpose will not change at any point and this service is not commissioned for any of the three criteria some residents have mistakenly assumed such as sex offenders, asylum seekers or those struggling with addiction”.

The Changing Lives statement added: “We are not seeking planning permission for a HMO, and we have never applied for a HMO licence for this property.

“This is not a large, shared house. It is a carefully managed service, designed around the needs of the people who live there and the community it is part of.”

Proposed support provided by Changing Lives at the development, if approved, would include “round-the-clock on-site staff presence” and “emotional and practical support tailored to individual needs”.

Those using the site would also receive “help with housing, tenancy sustainment,and accessing wider services”, along with “links to education, employment, and legal/benefit advice”.

Changing Lives have said the development “will not only help those who need stability at a difficult time, but also bring wider social benefits to the local community by ensuring residents are well supported, safe, and given the best chance to build positive futures.”

It is understood that the care provider has already arranged a drop-in session at Perth Green Community Centre to allow members of the public to ask questions about the proposed service.

Changing Lives, in a statement, noted that while they were “keen to alleviate any issues from residents” due to “misinformation” linked to the scheme, they were “hoping to maintain a level of confidentiality around the service due to the nature of project and the women we’ll be supporting.”

A decision on the planning application will be made following a council consultation exercise.

For more information on the plan, or to track its progress, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 250510