- Decision
- dismissed, 17 August 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: Timothy Parton
- Authority
- Oadby and Wigston (East Midlands)
- Appeal reference
- 6006636
- Application reference
- 25/00301/COU
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Change of use from dwelling (C3) to children's care home for 3 children (C2)
- Site context
- inside settlement
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- No Framework version cited
- Determinative policies
- HO9
- Development plan policies
- Oadby and Wigston Local Plan 2019 Policies 2, 6, 11, Residential Development SPD 2019
- Main issues
- need for C2 use; living conditions
Summary
A three-child care home was dismissed because Policy 11 was read as requiring a need specific to the Borough. County and national sufficiency evidence was not enough, set against a county email saying no local children were awaiting placement. The loss of a C3 home in an area of significant housing need counted against it. No Framework is cited (letter dated 17 Aug).
What made the difference
The up-to-date, Borough-specific county email (DL ¶12). Compare PINS-6006244 (Havering), where the Council's own Sufficiency Assessment established need, and the fork cases on HO7/HO9 for children's homes (PINS-6010861, PINS-6011401).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HO9 | fail | Framework not cited; Policy 11 read as requiring Borough-specific need; county/national evidence insufficient; LCC email: no Oadby and Wigston children awaiting placement (DL 3-13) | |
| HO7 | harm | loss of a C3 dwelling given significant Borough housing need (DL 14-16) | |
| P3 | pass | NDSS-compliant rooms, adequate staff space (DL 17-22) |
Key facts
- Conflicting earlier appeals on Policy 11 (APP/L2440/W/24/3355109 vs 3336468)
- County and DfE sufficiency evidence showed general pressure but not Borough need
Related decisions
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.