Plan to change terraced house into children’s home

A care provider wants to change a seven-bedroom house in Telford into a children’s residential home without going through the full planning application process.

Reward Chitura, of Cynosure HCS, has applied to Telford & Wrekin Council for a Certificate of Lawfulness for the proposed change of use of the property in Dudmaston, Hollinswood.

Agent Neil Boughey, of Kent-based Planning Geek Limited, has told the council’s planning department that using the property as a children’s residential home for up to six children aged under 16 is not a ‘material’ change in its use.

The agent writes in a submission to the council that “in most likelihood a house of this size could easily accommodate a typical family with two, three or
more children and two adults.

“It is therefore submitted that the use of the application property as a home for a maximum of six children aged under 16 and their carers would not be materially different from the authorised use as a seven bedroom family home.”

The property is a mid terrace house is in a row of 10 dwellings and has two parking spaces for staff and visitors, the agent writes.

The agent writes that the proposal is for the care of no more than six children aged under 16, to receive 24 hour care and supervision under two carers.

“Carers shift rotas will run from 8am – 2pm, 2pm – 10pm and 10pm – 8am with a staggered daily change over, one carer change over at 8am and one at 2pm.”

The agent writes that “What must be determined is whether the increase in the scale of the proposed use would reach the point where it would give rise to such materially different planning circumstances that, as a matter of fact and degree, it would result in such a change in the definable character of the use that it would amount to a material change of use, i.e there must be some significant difference in the character of the activities from what has gone on previously, as a matter of fact and degree.

“For the vast majority of the time there will be a maximum of eight persons present on the appeal site (six residents and two adult carers).

“There may be some comings and goings at staff handover times, plus social,
recreational and other outings.

“However, it is argued that this would not be materially different from the number or pattern that would be reasonably expected with a family of four to five carrying out their day-to-day activities at the application property.”

The agent concludes that: “I submit that the proposal does not require planning permission and therefore respectfully request that the Council issue a Certificate of Lawfulness of a Proposed Use or Development (CLOPUD) to this effect.”

The full planning application process would require the applicant to make a detailed assessment of the proposal.

The application has entered a period of public consultation with the details on the Telford & Wrekin Council planning portal with the reference TWC/2025/0696
Web link: https://secure.telford.gov.uk/planning/pa-applicationsummary.aspx?Applicationnumber=TWC/2025/0696