MP joins Morecambe residents in protest over new children’s home

Northwest Child Care, who care for vulnerable children and young people, want to convert a property in St Christopher's Way in Bare into a residential care home for 16-18-year-olds.

They hope to get permission from the council to create an Ofsted registered childrens home at a location they believe would be ideal for two to three children to grow and develop, feel valued and loved and become successful with their lives and futures.

But residents of Bare have objected to the change of use proposal and David Morris MP met with his constituents in the village to support their campaign.

Residents are concerned that the proposals have been drawn up hastily and vastly underestimate the number of staff members that would be required to and have not taken into account the number of parking spaces that would be required for such a facility.

There is also concern that there is no local need for such a home as Lancashire County Council have previously said they do not usually use these kinds of individual home facilities and do not have any demand for places.

David Morris MP said: “I fully support the concerns of my Constituents and have submitted a letter of objection to this proposal. This type of accommodation is not needed or used by local people in the Lancashire County

"Council area and is totally inappropriate in an area full of elderly people.

"The plans that have been submitted are not detailed and do not take into account even basic requirements like appropriate staffing for such a facility or parking. Notwithstanding the fact that this property is in an area where

"the demand for housing is great and bids for properties largely outnumber the number of available properties.

“I trust that the Council will look at the facts of this case and see that this application should be refused.”

Planning application number 23/01085/CU for a change of use from dwelling house (C3) to residential care home for children (C2) | 7 - 9 St Christophers Way Morecambe Lancashire LA4 6EE is awaiting a decision.

The planning application number 23/01085/CU can be viewed at https://www.lancaster.gov.uk/planning