Kids home concerns echoed by the Government

A GOVERNMENT minister has expressed concern about the number of family homes being turned into small children’s care homes in East Lancashire and the North-West. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy spoke about the issue when she visited a breakfast club at Balladen Community Primary School in Rawtenstall with Rossendale and Darwen MP Andy MacNae last Tuesday.

- BY BILL JACOBS Local Democracy Reporting Service

The growing number of such conversions was first highlighted in August 2022 by then deputy chairman of Hyndburn Council’s planning committee Cllr Judith Addison who said there was ‘a mushrooming industry’ of such conversions.

In the last few days there have been two more such planning applications in Hyndburn borough which is in the process of adopting a Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) document on the issue.

One from Blackburn-based Thrive Residential Care Ltd is for 94 Fountain Street, Accrington.