Row over plan for homes near sick children's unit

Objectors say the development will overlook a unit where parents live with their sick children

A row has broken out over plans for nearly 100 homes less than 10m (32ft) away from a unit where parents stay with their sick children.

Manchester-based Step Places has submitted plans for 59 retirement units alongside 31 houses and eight autism assisted living units on the demolished Alder Hey children's hospital site in Liverpool.

Nearly 500 objections have been lodged as well as an online petition which has 1,300 signatures.

One of the objectors is Ronald McDonald House - where parents stay with their sick children - with bosses claiming the privacy of parents at a difficult time will be affected.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said local councillor Joanne Kennedy stated: "The location of the development sits within the hospital campus and cuts off the vital service that is Ronald McDonald House from the hospital.

"The proposed development will mean families of severely ill children will be subject to unwanted noise and overbearing buildings in the vicinity.

"This development if approved would have a detrimental impact on local residents, park users and vulnerable families at Ronald McDonald House."

A submission from Ronald McDonald House said: "The building structure is less than 10m from the House and the bedrooms at our first floor will be looking directly out onto the structure."

Members of Friends of Springfield Park, who have campaigned to have the area restored back to the community, said the development may discourage people from using the green space.

The plans have been recommended for approval by council officers who said it offered a high-quality residential scheme that would "lead to the re-development of a brownfield site improving the built environment and as such would be a regeneration to the local area.”

The application will be subject to a site visit before the Liverpool City Council planning meeting on Tuesday.

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