Children’s residential care facility plans set for approval despite local concerns

Plans to turn a five-bedroom home into a children’s residential care facility in Rhuddlan are set to be approved, despite protests from residents and the town council.

Applicant CATE-UK has submitted a planning application to Denbighshire County Council, seeking permission for a change of use of a house to a residential children’s home at Wymore Villa on Dyserth Road.

The plans are set to go before Denbighshire County Council’s planning committee next week.

Planning officers have recommended the plans are approved.

The application says the home would accommodate a maximum of three “low-risk” children from the “local area” with “24-hour support”.

A planning report states: “The home is intended to provide family-like care for local children aged between seven and 17 years old, providing long-term care and stability through to adulthood where appropriate.

“Following this period, young people will be supported in transitioning to an appropriate supported living arrangement. The home will operate similarly to a foster home.”

Rhuddlan Town Council has objected to the proposals, arguing that onsite parking is “insufficient”.

A town council statement reads: “The council is concerned that the lack of adequate parking provision would lead to overspill parking on the surrounding highway network, causing obstruction and adversely affecting highway safety and the free flow of traffic.”

Several residents living on Dyserth Road, Bryn Crescent, Plas Bach, and Conwy Avenue have also written in objection, with at least one letter of support.

A summary of the objections lists “noise created by adolescents/teenagers from music and inconsiderate behaviour”, loss of privacy and security, and disturbance as reasons.

Another letter described the plans as “a great idea” arguing there was “too much negativity these days” adding they “hope fairness prevails”.

The council’s Head of Children’s Services commented in the report: “I am aware of CATE UK.

“We have placed a couple of children with them in the past and don’t have any issues with them as a company.

“This is a private company however, and we would have no input or say as to who is placed there or where they come from. Nor would we have any duty to support those young people, but there would be a duty on us to respond to any safeguarding incidents.

“Care Inspectorate Wales, as the regulator, are the only organisation that can impose controls or sanctions on to the organisation.”

The plans are set to go before Denbighshire County Council’s planning committee at the authority’s Ruthin County Hall HQ on Wednesday, 7 October.

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter