A variation of condition 3 is proposed to change the age range of children accommodated at the residential children home from 12 to 18 years old to 4 to 18 years old.

Full Proposal

Change of use of a 6 bed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) to a childrens home (Class C2). Variation of condition 3 (age of children) of planning permission 20/00761/COU dated 29th September 2020. Variation of condition 3 (age of children) of Planning Permission 22/01265/VARCON dated 11th November 2022. Condition Number(s): Condition number 3 - The building and/or site shall be used for residential accommodation and care for up to a maximum of three persons and who are aged between 12 -18 years old and shall be used for no other purpose, including any other purpose falling within Class C2 as specified in the schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, 1987, (or any provision equivalent to that Class in any statutory instrument revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification). Conditions(s) Removal: Children are needing to be placed at a much younger age due to a lack of foster carers and there is a sufficiency issue for the local authorities we work with, also sibling groups are having to be split up where they do not meet the age requirement due to the condition on the planning. Lowering our planning age limit from 12 to 4 will allow us to support children in care in a more supportive and holistic way. Athena will always carefully match childrens ages and needs appropriately and we are heavily regulated by Ofsted. 3 - The building and/or site shall be used for residential accommodation and care for up to a maximum of three persons and who are aged between 4 -18 years old and shall be used for no other purpose, including any other purpose falling within Class C2 as specified in the schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, 1987, (or any provision equivalent to that Class in any statutory instrument revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification).