Plans submitted for a new children’s home in South Shields

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received an application for a building near St Michaels and All Angels Church, off Westoe Road, in South Shields.

Plans from independent care provider Ar Cúram Limited aim to convert the ‘St Michaels Vicarage’ building from a private dwelling into a residential children’s home, for a maximum of five children and young people.

A supporting letter submitted to council officials provides more information on the children’s home development, which would be registered with regulator Ofsted.

The supporting letter states: “Our children will be aged between eight and 17 years old and supported by three/four members of staff during the day/evening with two persons on weekend nights.

“Additional management presence will be provided by the registered manager and a wider on-call team who are available to offer support 24/7 (evenings, weekends and holidays).”

The application site is a detached seven-bedroom property with a large courtyard and new plans propose some changes, including office spaces, en-suites to some bedrooms and an extra utility room.

Those behind the scheme said the development would “help to secure resources to improve the economic and social outcomes for vulnerable children and young people”.

It was also noted that the property would have “sufficient parking to accommodate staff [and] is in close proximity to local amenities and supported by a local bus service”.

The supporting letter adds: “The house will be similar to that of a five-bedroom family home and would not have any detrimental impact on local amenities.

“The difference between our proposal and a ‘normal’ family home, is that a ‘normal’ family home is managed by parents/kinship carers.

“As such, we consider that the development will safeguard the amenities currently enjoyed by the neighbouring properties”.

According to the supporting letter, the applicant operates children’s homes in Teesside and supports children and families referred by local authorities to “remain and live in their own communities”.

New plans, if approved, would see the company “develop resources for those children and young people in South Tyneside who require care and support whilst living in close proximity to their school, friends and family”.

The South Shields children’s home would also have staff working on a “rotational basis covering a designated shift pattern”, with staff on duty being “no more than four if there were five children in residence at any one time”.

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The supporting statement adds: “Our referral and selection processes are extremely robust, and we would like to assure you that we will have excellent quality management teams who will always give due consideration to our neighbours and their peace of mind”.

A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Comments can be made on the plans, via South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website, until February 21, 2024.

For more information on the plans, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0850/23/FUL.