A ‘much-needed’ home for teenagers leaving care will stay open despite neighbours’ complaints of cannabis smoking, verbal abuse and ‘police vans at all hours of the morning’. The terraced house, in Aberdeen Crescent, Edgeley has been used by specialist housing association Bedspace to help 16 to 18-year-olds transition from care to living independently.
The property includes five bedsits - or ‘training flats - while a sixth is occupied by carers providing round-the-clock assistance. There is also a communal kitchen/diner on the ground floor where the teenagers can interact with other residents and the on-site carer.
Youngsters have been living at the home since March, but permission to continue as a care facility was only granted when a retrospective application was passed by Stockport council’s planning committee on Thursday night (November 10). A report to councillors included a plea from the applicant, which describes the property as ‘an incredibly important provision for the young persons in care as it enables them to transition from care to living independently when they reach the age of 18’.
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Neighbours have complained of regularly witnessing ‘a young girl and her boyfriend half naked hanging out of the top window smoking cannabis’, verbal abuse being shouted from the property and ‘police vans at all hours of the morning’. Bedspace admit to initial ‘teething pains’ but say young persons have now settled into their new surroundings and measures are now in place ‘to effectively manage the situation moving forward’.
The planning committee was also told that police may often be called to the property due to safeguarding reasons, rather than anything related to criminal activity or anti-social behaviour. Coun Roy Driver told the meeting residents had raised some ‘genuine issues’ - but he would be supporting the application.
He said: “I think it’s important to provide accommodation for young people who are transitioning from a care environment so they can be set up for life and become independent and manage their own property in future. That’s the whole purpose of the property and the exercise.”
Coun Driver accepted it was ‘inevitable’ that there would be problems at the property and occasions when police may need to be called - but was confident these would be ‘minimised’.
But he said there were ‘definitely no grounds whatsoever’ to refuse the application. "It’s a very worthwhile proposal, what they are trying to do,” he added.
Coun Andy Sorton also backed the application, noting that the council’s children’s services had described Bedspace as a ‘high quality provider’. “They mentioned they are seeking to extend it to 21-year-olds, which is a great thing, because it’s a really challenging period of time,” he said.
"There are very very few facilities for children of this age and they are much needed as well.”
The application was unanimously passed by the committee. Stockport council’s planning and highways committee met at the town hall on Thursday night (November 10).
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