"We’re in a housing crisis": Councillor slams decision to convert another Northampton family home into a care business
‘We’re in a housing crisis… but we are taking the stock of those affordable houses and turning them into businesses,’ says concerned councillor.
A planning application has been approved to convert a three-bedroom family house in Briar Hill into a residential care home for up to three children.
The property, at 20 Ringway, would stop being used as an affordable family home and instead be run as a children’s care home. The proposal has been submitted by Mr N Modhwadia.
According to planning documents, the care home will support children with emotional and behavioural needs and offer them structured support to improve their wellbeing. Only three children would live there at a time. Two staff members would be on site during each shift, with staff working from 7am to 11pm and overnight from 10pm to 8am, with a handover between shifts.
The house is part of a row of terraced homes in a mostly residential area. The application falls within the Far Cotton, Delapre and Briar Hill ward and has been objected to by Councillor Julie Davenport.
Cllr Davenport raised concerns about the ongoing loss of affordable family homes and the potential for increased traffic and parking problems.
The councillor said: “I think a strategy going forward to restrict the number of children’s homes in affordable family housing needs to be implemented. We’ve already had hundreds of affordable houses in this ward turn into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) due to the relocation of the University of Northampton.
“We are in a housing crisis, not enough affordable family homes but we are taking the stock of those houses and turning them into businesses.
“No one is against Children’s Homes for vulnerable young people but it should not be at the expense of another vulnerable group on low incomes.”
Four letters of objection were also sent in by residents.
Explaining its decision, West Northamptonshire Council said: “Given the modest scale of the proposal, the loss of a single family home is not expected to be materially different to new care housing units. In conclusion, the principle of the proposed development is considered acceptable for the reasons outlined above.”
Applications to convert family homes into children’s care homes are becoming more frequent across West Northamptonshire.
In response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, West Northamptonshire Council said it has not received £20 million from central government to build or expand council-run children’s care homes. However, the council confirmed that it approved a provisional budget of up to £20 million of its own funds in September 2024 to develop local accommodation for looked-after children.
The council shared a breakdown of five feasibility capital budgets currently in progress:
- Boniface House: £13,500 (2024/25), £48,500 (2025/26)
- Evelyn Wright: £25,800 (2024/25), £40,000 (2025/26)
- Harefield Road: £15,000 (2024/25), £33,000 (2025/26)
- Pleydell Road: £14,600 (2024/25), £30,000 (2025/26)
- Russell House Training Flats: £12,900 (2024/25), £33,500 (2025/26)
The council said these projects are ongoing, with further work scheduled for this year.
When asked how many children are currently placed in council-run care homes, private homes, or out-of-area placements, the council responded that it does not hold that information.