# 238 Caulfield Road, East Ham (two children's homes)

- **Decision:** allowed, 16 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: H Whitfield
- **Authority:** Newham (London)
- **Appeal reference:** 6011381
- **Application reference:** 26/00254/FUL
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Change of use of family house to C2 children's home for 3 and conversion of garage to separate solo children's home
- **Site context:** inside-settlement
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** HO1, Newham LP H3, Newham LP H4
- **Development plan policies:** Newham Local Plan 2018 S1, H1, H3, H4, SP1, SP3, SP8, London Plan H8, H12, D3, D4
- **Main issues:** family housing, specialist need, living conditions, noise, character
- **Tags:** childrens-home, family-housing-loss, parties-consulted-on-2026-framework, tier-2

## Summary
Conversion of an East Ham family house, and its garage, into two children's homes was allowed. The loss of a family dwelling conflicted with policy H4 but was equally balanced by meeting an identified need for specialist placements (DL ¶11, ¶39-40).

## What made the difference
Evidence from the council's own commissioner that the homes met local placement priorities (DL ¶14). The inspector treated HO1's recognition of "different groups", including looked-after children, as supporting both sides of the balance (DL ¶8, ¶21, ¶40).

## Policy findings
- **HO1: benefit.** specialist C2 homes meet the commissioner-confirmed need for looked-after children; the inspector aligns this with HO1 (DL 14, 21, 40)
- **HO1: harm.** loss of a family-sized dwelling contrary to H4 (DL 11)
- **P3: pass.** acceptable facilities for occupants and no noise harm to neighbours (DL 24, 31)
- **DP3: pass.** no harm to character (DL 37)

## Key facts
- Parties invited to comment on the 2026 Framework (DL 4)
- Council's own children's commissioner supported the need (DL 14)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6011381
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/068bab25-aaec-4393-a6f4-a873d37a1925

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6011381.html

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