Rural children’s home near Heathfield approved

At a virtual meeting  on Thursday (June 25), Wealden District Council’s planning committee north agreed proposals to convert a residential dwelling in Mayfield Flat into a children’s home caring for up to 10 children between the ages of 11- and 17-years-old.

The application had been called in to the committee by Conservative ward councillor (and the council’s cabinet member for planning and development) Ann Newton, due to what she said were concerns over the safety of the site, primarily road safety.

She said: “I do realise that there is probably no planning reasons to refuse this, so I appreciate you will probably have to approve it. I didn’t want that responsibility alone because I am concerned about the site.

“I am pleased that Ofsted, seemingly, will do a rigorous assessment of the site [but] I feel that highways have just commented on visibility splays and impact on the local traffic network. There should be a [road] safety element there, for if those children get out of the establishment.

“Incidentally because they are not children with any sort of criminal record – and I would hope I am being sensitive in the language i’m using – they will not be locked in. 

“I worry that the responsibility for finding any children on that road will be down to the residents, which is a big responsibility.

“I do have my concerns for the whole issue of the [home] being here; for the residents who [will] live in there and the residents that currently live in Mayfield Flats. But I do appreciate that on a planning note there is probably very little you can do about it.”

Similar concerns were raised by Mayfield and Five Ashes councillor Dr Brian Redman (Con). He said: “Clearly this is a remote site. Not easily accessible, except by car. It is on a very busy road and I think it is dangerous.

“The whole concept here, in this location, of producing a development which is going to be exceedingly busy on a very, very busy road worries me considerably.”

He described how these would be children who needed help in terms of education and upbringing, adding: “But is this the right location? I cannot see it.”

Other councillors, however, felt differently about the proposals.

Cllr Gary Johnson (Con, Uckfield Ridgewood) said: “I know it is not necessarily a perfect location. There is the traffic. Unfortunately there is traffic in a lot of places now and that is just getting worse.

“[But] I think behind the gates the location is actually a fantastic location. I think it is a nice rural location that could give these guys a bit of a chance.  

“Are they problem pupils, as somebody said? I don’t know. They are 11- to 17-year-olds who haven’t been identified yet and I think they deserve a chance.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Gareth Owen-Williams (Lib Dem, Crowborough Jarvis Brook) said: “All the points that are supporting this proposal have been made factually and by the appropriate authorities.

“All the objections seem to be ‘this might happen’, they are possibilities and fears. To be honest I think, as has been said right from the beginning, there is no planning reason to oppose this.”

As a compromise, councillors agreed to add a condition requesting a road safety audit be conducted on the site prior to development.

Following further discussion the application was approved with 11 votes in favour and one against.

The application had been put forward by Champion Children, a childcare agency which provides residential therapeutic care.

According to Champion Children, the home would be modelled on a “genuine, nurturing family home” and would be likely to have experienced “poor parenting” and relationship breakdowns before being placed into care. 

For further information on the application see reference WD/2019/2430/F on the Wealden District Council planning website.

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