A fresh proposal to convert a family house into a children’s care home has been submitted for a property in Olton, Solihull, despite police concerns about the already high number of such homes in the area.
The application, lodged with Solihull Council on 9 September by Mr Jaipal, concerns a three-bedroom house situated on Redstone Farm Road. The initial details reveal plans to provide residential care for two children, supported by two full-time and one part-time staff member.
The property currently offers two car parking spaces, with no suggested alterations to this arrangement noted in the submission. Planning agent Chintan Shah, who filled out the application form, also offered the opportunity for council officers to carry out a site visit.
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This application is one of several in Olton, where there has been a notable increase in family homes being converted into children’s care facilities in recent years, a trend closely tracked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Just last week, Solihull Council’s planning committee approved four new children’s homes across the borough, including one in Olton. The area has been repeatedly flagged by West Midlands Police, who caution that additional children’s placements may exacerbate existing challenges, citing high crime rates, widespread anti-social behaviour and prevalent drug misuse.
These policing concerns have been consistently raised during planning considerations for new children’s home applications in the locality.
In response to the growing number of such applications, Liberal Democrat councillor Laura McCarthy introduced a motion earlier this year calling for stronger planning policies and renewed lobbying of the government to address the issue. This motion is scheduled for discussion in forthcoming council meetings.
The current consultation period for the latest application is open until 14 October. Interested parties can view the plans and submit their comments by searching for application reference PL/2026/01651/PPFL on Solihull Council’s planning portal at https://publicaccess.solihull.gov.uk/online-applications.