# 18 Myrtle Avenue, Thornton-Cleveleys (children's care home)

- **Decision:** allowed, 23 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: K Lancaster
- **Authority:** Wyre (North West)
- **Appeal reference:** 6012092
- **Application reference:** 26/00199/FUL
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Change of use of a detached dwelling (C3) to a children's residential care home (C2) for up to two children with up to two carers on shift
- **Site context:** inside-settlement
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** S3(1)(c)
- **Development plan policies:** Wyre Local Plan 2011-2031 (partial update 2022) CDMP3, CDMP6
- **Main issues:** neighbours' living conditions (noise and disturbance), highway safety and parking
- **Tags:** tier-2, childrens-home, specialist-housing, s3-1-c-approve, costs-application, drafting-slip, limited-nppf-engagement, parties-consulted-on-2026-framework

## Summary
A detached house in Thornton-Cleveleys to become a children's care home for two children. Activity and parking would be comparable to a family home, so there was no harm to neighbours or highway safety. With no harm and full plan accordance, the inspector applied S3(1)(c), which the letter cites as "S3(3)(c)": approve without delay. Allowed.

## Issues and findings
- **Transition.** "My decision reflects the latest version of the Framework, and the responses received on it" (DL ¶3).
- **Noise: NO HARM.** "The proposal represents another type of residential use, albeit with a care element for the looked after children" (DL ¶8).
- **Parking: NO HARM.** "there is no substantive evidence to demonstrate that the parking requirements of the proposed development would be materially different from its occupation as a family dwelling" (DL ¶15).
- **S3(1)(c).** "Policy S3(3)(c) sets out that in all locations, development proposals that accord with both an up-to-date development plan and the decision-making policies in this Framework should be approved without delay" (DL ¶27).

## Planning balance
None needed. Accords with the plan and the Framework (DL ¶28).

## What made the difference
Small scale: two children and a care rota producing activity comparable to a family.

## Transferable points
- S3(1)(c) (approve without delay where the scheme accords with an up-to-date plan and the Framework) used directly for a no-harm change of use (DL ¶27–28). S3(1)(c) is rarely cited.
- A small children's home is a residential-type use; the character of the neighbourhood's current occupants is not a reason for refusal (DL ¶8, ¶10).

## Policy findings
- **P3: pass.** mapped: residential-type use for two children; staff changeover comparable to a multi-car household; no unacceptable noise (CDMP3) (DL 7-11)
- **TR6: pass.** mapped: four off-street spaces by extending the drive; demand comparable to a family house (CDMP6) (DL 12-17)
- **S3(1)(c): pass.** letter says "Policy S3(3)(c)"; accords with the up-to-date plan and the Framework's decision-making policies, so approve without delay (DL 27-28)

## Key facts
- Council's concerns about a quiet, largely retired neighbourhood rejected; the house could be occupied by a family with children (DL 8)
- Costs application by the appellant against the Council, decided separately (DL 2)
- Letter heading gives the appeal ref as "601209" (a truncation of 6012092)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6012092
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/c3a82bb5-29a0-4887-9e2f-527579fcbd5a

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6012092.html

A summary of a public planning decision, written from the decision letter. Not legal advice. © Planning Distilled. Released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): share and adapt freely, with credit to Planning Distilled. Quotations from decision letters, plans and the Framework remain the copyright of their publishers.