Children's care home plan withdrawn after concerns

Alan May has lived on Gallagher Road in Bedworth with his wife Sylvia for nearly 40 years and expressed concern about the plans

Plans to open a children's care home in Bedworth have been withdrawn after concerns from residents.

The proposal would have seen a semi-detached property in Gallagher Road turned into a home for three children under the age of 18, however some neighbours believed the street was the wrong location and worried it could cause anti-social behaviour as well as parking issues.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, the local planning authority responsible, confirmed on Wednesday that the application had been withdrawn.

The BBC has approached the applicant for comment.

Sylvia May, 67, has lived on the road with her husband Alan for nearly 40 years.

She said she felt "frightened" and would be wary of confronting any children if there were to be any trouble as she feared she could be "attacked".

Mr May added that he was concerned the care home would "upset" the area and the children would "cause problems".

The planning application outlined that the property would operate with two staff on duty at all times and would have a driveway big enough for up to three cars.

Another resident, Natalie Morris, 58, who had lived on the street for 12 years, said the street was a "very peaceful area", however there had recently been a increase in the number of traffic issues.

Ms Morris was worried that the plans would lead to "an influx of staff members" and add pressure to parking.

The chief executive of Become, a charity for children in residential care, Katharine Sacks-Jones, told the BBC the proposal would have been no different to the house being put on the market.

"They [residents] don't know the children who will be living there the same as they wouldn't know a family who'd move in."

The plan was due to be decided on by the council's planning committee in July.