PLANS to turn a former care home into a 13-bed house of multiple occupation - which is ‘much-needed’ according to the woman behind the scheme - have been rejected after more than 300 people signed a petition against it.

An application was submitted to Barnsley Council to turn part of Manor Court, on Churchfield Lane, Kexborough, into the HMO.

A report states that the facility is ‘much-needed’ - and a gym will also be included for those who live there.

The unit is currently used by a number of businesses though the HMO will not impact on them, with the proposed area currently unoccupied.

Owner Claire Atkinson says that the facility is important for the local community and it would have housed NHS workers from abroad or outside of the town who are in need of accommodation.

However, her pleas with residents to come and visit the site before commenting on the plans fell on deaf ears and the application was rejected earlier this week.

A report states that 43 individual objections were received by the council, as well as a petition signed by approximately 300 residents.

The three councillors in the area - Trevor Cave, Alice Cave and Sharon Howard - also rejected to the plans.

Concerns included increased traffic and parking, as well as the potential for ‘undesirable tenants’.

A report, compiled by Barnsley Council’s planning officers, confirmed that its highways department also objected to the application.

It states: “Concerns were raised and highways have objected to the proposal on the basis that no details have been provided in terms of peak car park occupancy during the time of the training courses taking place and that the use could intensify at any given point.

“Highways also consider that if tenants are working professionals as suggested in the application, particularly nurses and doctors then this would introduce a higher likelihood of car ownership and, due to the nature of shift work, irregular hours, or not having access to public transport during off-peak hours, would result in such tenants being more reliant on the use of private vehicles, creating greater demand for parking provision within the site.

“Highways are not satisfied that the site has sufficient off-street parking provision and concerns remain that the proposals could lead to the indiscriminate parking of vehicles within the vicinity of the site, particularly along Churchfield Lane and Allendale Road, including the likelihood of parking on the footway, to the detriment of highway safety.”