Controversial Great Barr children's home plan gets go-ahead as government inspector overturns Sandwell Council

The move to convert the home in Poolehouse Road, Great Barr, into a residential home for two children with emotional and behavioural difficulties was rejected by Sandwell councillors earlier this year over the potential for more noise and disruption and parking problems in the neighbourhood.

More than 50 neighbours had objected to the planning application before it was eventually turned down by Sandwell Council’s planning committee in February.

However the contentious plans have now been given the thumbs-up by a government planning inspector overruling Sandwell Council’s decision.

The inspector said the children’s home would not cause any more noise or disturbance than a family home would and would not cause any parking problems.

In a report, the inspector said: “There is no compelling evidence that the use of the property, or its external garden spaces, for the care of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties would result in disturbance which would be out of keeping with that which could reasonably be expected of a domestic family residence.

“Indeed, the constant presence of appropriately trained staff, and robust management procedures... would provide safeguards that would not be present if the property were in standard domestic use.”

A decision was delayed in January to allow councillors to visit the three-bed home near the M6 on the Black Country/Birmingham border before making a final ruling.

The objectors said converting the house into a children’s home for two children, and up to three staff, would bring more noise, parking problems and a potential rise in anti-social behaviour.

The row continued in February when councillors met again to discuss the application, with the committee eventually rejecting the proposals after an hour-long debate.

Several residents of Poolhouse Road again spoke out against the move saying the neighbourhood was unsuitable for a children’s home.

Some councillors agreed including Councillor Liam Preece who said the potential for noise and disruption made Poolhouse Road “unsuitable".

Councillor Connor Horton added: “That estate is not appropriate for this type of development.”

In January, one of the applicants Safwaan Jeewa said he “would not entertain” accusations he was only making the move for “financial gain” adding that he was doing it “to help others".

“It stems a lot deeper than that,” he said at the planning meeting.

“We want to help children that have educational and emotional difficulties. It’s something personal to me.”

Fellow applicant Nigar Toofany Jeewa said she was open to hear any concerns from neighbours. “We want to be able to give these children a warm and friendly home,” she said.

Sandwell Council’s planners had recommended the application be approved.

The council said it had recently rejected similar proposals that would have seen children’s homes open in residential areas only for the decision to be overturned after appeals to the government inspectors.

Last year, Sandwell Council’s planners rejected moves in Dingle Street, Huskison Close and Barston Road in Oldbury and Lee Street in West Bromwich with only the decision at a semi-detached home in Barston Road standing after being reviewed by the government planning inspectors.

Another decision to controversially convert a former foster home in Pool Lane in Oldbury into a children’s home was dragged out for more than 18 months before eventually being rejected by Sandwell Council’s planning committee last year.

The rejection was then appealed and overturned by inspectors in March.