A new residential children's care home in Baddeley Green has been deferred by the councillors at Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Now councillors will conduct a site visit to assess issues of parking. 

The care home set to be located on Minton Grove received objections from Jonathan Gullis MP, ward councillors Duncan Walker and Dave Evans as well as 80 local residents. The committee heard that the care home will cater for two children and the home would not take children who had a drug and alcohol dependance or a history with antisocial behaviour.

Resident Richard Orme objected to the childrens care home and said he was representing a number of residents who also objected. He explained to the planning committee concerns over parking saying that on staff handover days there could be as many as five cars at the property.

He said: "Approval of this application on giving children a chance to integrate and become part of the local community is understandable but it is, sadly, simply ideological, for clarity the applicant has had zero consultation with the residents and wider community over the past five months.

"The residents of Doulton Grange do not welcome this development, we do not support this development and we will continue to campaign fervently for it not to open."

The plans received objections from Jonathan Gullis MP, ward councillors and 80 local residents (Google).

Due to the nature of the estate there is very little available on street parking with many of the houses having a driveway. Despite the property having space to park two cars, it is expected that the care home will use a pool car and will need two car spaces for staff.

The issue is further compounded when staff change over shifts which could mean there would be five cars parked in the narrow estate. It was suggested by the applicants agent that Leek New Road could be used when needed 

Councillor Duncan Walker also raised the issue of parking. He commented: "These types of properties when used for this purpose inevitably attract extra parking requirements due to what are often complex issues needing visits from multiple statutory services, including the police.

"Due to the nature of this location and the undoubted issues that will arise from it I would urge the committee to consider deferring this decision today and do a site visit to obtain a more clear picture."

Representing that applicant Michael Askew said: "To allay residents' concerns the applicant intends to host an open day prior to this care home opening and would maintain an open dialogue with local residents thereafter. 

Councillors are planning to go on a site visit to assess parking issues (Nub News).

Councillor Andy Platt said in many cases the committee receives objections in cases like this but often there are few problems on the ground. He then told councillors there are protocols around site visits "and they're quite extreme" and in his view they haven't been met.

Councillor Platt warned fellow councillors: "If you ever go on a [site visit] where the issue of parking is an issue you will find that the day we go it is the most heavily parked day that estate has ever had."

The committee voted to defer the application following a motion by Councillor David Mountford which proposed the deferral to allow the committee to conduct a site visit and assess the problems with parking and the relationship between Minton Grove and Leek New Road where supplementary parking was proposed by the applicant. 

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