Plans submitted to change house in Kempston to a children's home

A house on Kempston’s Ampthill Road could become a children’s home, if a planning application is approved.

Bedford Borough Council has received a planning application to convert 292 Ampthill Road, Kempston from a single residential dwelling to a children’s home for up to three children.

The property, a detached four-bedroom home, would provide accommodation for up to three children aged between 8 and 18 if the project went ahead.

These children, as permanent residents, would be cared for by trained carers twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The proposal is that the children would have one carer each during daytime hours (8am to 10pm), and two would stay overnight.

The applicants said the home would be registered with Ofsted as a home for children with emotional & behavioural difficulties (EBD) and/or learning difficulties.

Adding that the building would function as close as possible to a “typical residential dwelling”.

The applicants also said the proposed use would not cause any material impacts on the living conditions of neighbouring residential properties and the surrounding area due to noise, disturbance or any other related effects.

Also included in the plans is the erection of detached bin and cycle stores.

The application form states that the applicants are not the sole owner of all the land and have not been the sole owner for more than 21 days.

But they have given the “requisite notice” to the owner as required.

More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 23/01003/FUL.

The overall consultation expiry date is Wednesday, June 14, 2023.