Plans for 'specialist rural placement' home for young people in Sharnbrook submitted

Sharnbrook could gain a specialist rural placement home for young people, if plans are approved.

Bedford Borough Council has received an application to change the use of Templecroft, Templars Way, Sharnbrook to a residential care home for up to five young people.

The detached property is currently a residential family assessment centre.

If approved, the care home would be operated and managed by Resicare Alliance, the current operator at the site.

The applicant said if approved the house would provide a ‘family home’ to the young persons in its care, rather than an institutional setting, adding that the statutory regulator, Ofsted favours this approach.

The intention is that those living at the premises will be in full time education and will have a “normal day-to-day routine as would be expected for any young person”.

The residents would be cared for by staff operating on a shift basis, with staffing levels of four to five care staff plus a manager and/or deputy manager during the day when the young persons are at the home.

However, there will also be times in the day when there will be no or limited staff at the home, for example when the residents are at school.

At night, there would normally be two carers on site overnight, providing a “waking staff” presence.

The applicant said residential care homes for young people are often located in urban areas to ensure that those placed have ease of access to services, facilities and amenities. But in some cases, young persons in care will need and benefit from a more “rural and tranquil” location.

In addition, some placements benefit from being located away from their normal ‘home’ environment.

More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 24/00620/COU. The overall consultation expiry date is Monday, April 22, 2024.