AN Old Town property is set to be turned into a children’s home for three kids after Barnsley Council granted permission - just months after rejecting the original plans.

An application was submitted to the council in June for work to take place on Dearnley View.

The property, which is currently rented by Karen and Christopher Holmes who are the owners of More Than Safe Ltd, would have been used for three children under the age of 18.

No adult would have been living within the property, but staff would have been at the site 24 hours a day on a rota.

These plans were rejected by the council’s planning board but the applicants subsequently submitted plans seeking a lawful development certificate and this was approved earlier this week.

A lawful planning certificate proves a project doesn’t need planning permission because it qualifies as ‘permitted development’, or that an existing development is immune from enforcement action because it was completed a long time ago.

A planning report states: “The proposed use involves the occupation of the property by up to three children (under 18 years old) who will live together as a single household.

“The children will receive 24-hour care from professional carers working on a rota basis.

“The property will operate as a standard family home with communal living areas, individual bedrooms, and shared facilities.

“Two carers will be present at any given time with shifts starting at 8am and sleeping overnight until 8am following normal patterns of adults going to and from work in the area.

“The carers do not reside permanently at the property but work in shifts to provide necessary support and supervision.

“The carers do not fall within the maximum of six remit, however, even with staff the total household will not exceed six.

“No agency staff will be employed.

“The property has adequate parking for all staff cars, so no cars will be parked on the road.”

Despite the plans being rejected in August, they were approved just two months later.

A council officer report added: “Regarding potential noise and disturbance, it is not considered that a children’s home for up to three children would result in significantly increased levels of impact above those associated with the lawful use of the application property as a dwellinghouse and therefore, it is not considered that existing amenity of residents would be materially detrimentally impacted.

“Ultimately, the onus of proof test for a lawful development certificate application always falls with the applicant, and not the council to prove.

“The submitted information indicates that the proposed use of the application property as a children’s care home for up to three children would not operate in a way which would amount to a material change to its stated use or lawful use as a dwellinghouse, which could accommodate a family.

“Essentially, the application property would continue to function in very much the same way as it would as a dwellinghouse.”