£3k bill as 'refusal' of kids' home ruled to be unreasonable

COUNCIL taxpayers have had to pay out £3,000 again after the refusal of a second Derbyshire children's home was found to be "unreasonable".

- By EDDIE BISKNELL

Les Greenwood, a government planning inspector, overturned the decision of South Derbyshire District Council over a children's home in Coton Park, Linton.

In overturning the decision, which saw the council refuse to scrap a two-year time limit for the approved home, run by Roots Care Group, Mr Greenwood ordered the council - and ultimately taxpayers - to pay the appeal costs of £3,000.

The authority had approved the Coton Park facility in August 2024, but with a two-year restriction to monitor how it is operated and any issues caused. This triggered an application to remove the two-year limit condition, which was refused by the council in January.

Also in January, the district council was forced to pay £3,000 to another children's home operator, Lundi Education and Care, after its "unreasonable" decision to refuse a facility in Morley Walk, Church Gresley, was overturned by another government planning inspector.