Residents in Nantwich have raised concerns over a charity’s plan to open a home for “challenging children” next to Malbank School.
Safe Places for Children (UK) wants to turn a residential property on Lambert Crescent in Nantwich to a “residential institution” to care for youngsters who have a “known history of challenging and complex behaviours”.
If it goes ahead, it would house two children aged between 12 and 17 where they would be cared for by two members of staff.
But residents on the Kingsley Village development say the property backs directly on to Malbank School playground and have raised fears over the location.
A number of objections have been lodged with Cheshire East Council over the plans.
One said: “There is enough noise from the kids screaming at the very tops of their voices every playtime at the college.
“The parking is a problem already and antisocial behaviour a real worry. It could also have an effect on local house prices.”
While another added: “There are already levels of anti social behaviour on Lambert Crescent and the immediately adjoining Capel Way, incidents of vandalism to property, including my own, have been reported to Cheshire Police in the last 12 months, the likely offenders being identified as youths by the authorities.
“The change of use of this property can only serve to exasperate this ongoing situation of anti0-social behaviour, which is further quantified by the continual graffitiing of the underpass by the river on the Kingsley Village estate, by youths.
“This kind of anti social behaviour will only serve to increase by the development of an institution with the potential to house such youths.”
A spokesman for Kingsley Village Management Company, which oversees maintenance and upkeep of the estate, has also raised concerns and has contacted Malbank School about the application.
He said: “I think people need to be aware of this. Not enough people have been informed by the council and having this so close to a school may not be a good thing.
“Only a handful of people have been contacted about this, and not even the school knew.
“I’m not suggesting anything will happen. But what sort of adolescents are going to be in this house if they require 24/7 one to one care in what is essentially a secure unit?
“There are many families with young children on this estate, and I would want to know and be concerned about something like this.”
The application was also discussed at Nantwich Town Council last week (July 12).
Cllr Arthur Moran said at the meeting: “I’ve had a lot of correspondence on this, with it being so close to the school, and also the issue of parking is causing problems there at the moment.”
Safe Places for Children (UK) said: “The young people placed would be able-bodied and have a known history of challenging and complex behaviours, due to them being exposed to previous trauma.
“The care that would be provided would be 24/7. Both young people would be living in the property under the care of two staff at any given time.”
Residents have until July 31 to lodge their views.
Cheshire East Council is due to make a decision on the application by August 23.
You can view the application on the Cheshire East Council planning portal here.
(Main image courtesy of Google Maps)
Hmm seems folk just want a winge rather than get up and form a group to help tackle grot areas in their neighbourhood.
It’s exactly this sort of mind set that has resulted in these children being traumatised, lack of community, lack of family care, lack of boundaries.
Time to save the area from neglect, a community project to tackle the issues is needed, not casting blame on everyone else, whilst sitting back with a beer.
Zero action results in zero success!! Quite shameful
The home is for 2 children who have sadly been exposed to trama and need love, attention and guidance which they havent received from their parents or adult carers….
TWO children living with TWO adults not 20!!! So why the comments about parking?
Also the residents of Kingsley Village should have realised that living next to a large, popular secondary school is noisy!
The school was there before the houses were built and I’m sure potential residents noticed it! If you don’t like the sound of children playing, socialising, having fun and generally ‘being children’, live elsewhere! You were children once!
I would happily have these misguided children living next door to me. They need to live somewhere!
How are we supposed to change our society into a friendlier, conflict free one where we all live happily together, if we dont help reform the misguided ones?
Let’s moan less and smile more!