Plans to turn a house in Hatfield into a children's home have been submitted to Welwyn Hatfield council's planning committee. 

Savannah Lodge Ltd, a childcare and day care centre based in Harlow, submitted the planning application through agents, Rose Consulting. 

The application seeks permission to convert a property in The Runway area, into a residential institution for a maximum of four children aged between eight and eighteen. 

Along with the children, the 120 sq. metre site will take on three carers, two of which would sleep overnight and work on a rota basis. 

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The proposal does not include any alterations to the exterior or interior of the property. 

In 2022, an application for the same site was submitted by the same applicants for the certificate of lawfulness for the change of use from a house to residential institution, which was refused. 

The applicant said it has had regular discussions with the Hertfordshire Social Services Department, which has confirmed the urgent need for such care homes. Savannah Lodge Ltd is established and already operates five homes. 

A marketing brochure shows Wrights home estate agents have put the property up for sale. 

Wrights offers this property as a five-bedroom, four-bathroom (three of which are en-suite) detached family home that leads out to a garden. 

The CLA & Safeguarding Commissioning Team for Hertfordshire County Council commented on the application, stating: "It is the county’s preference to accommodate all the young people for whom it is responsible in, or near, Hertfordshire. 

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"Currently we are not able to do this, with around 90 children placed at a considerable distance from Hertfordshire. 

"We are therefore supportive of providers who seek to address this shortfall by establishing new facilities within our borders." 

The comment also stated that "any provision wishing to operate as a children's home must be registered with Ofsted and there are strict regulations in place governing children's residential provisions. 

"A service would not be a lawful provision without such registration being in place." 

To view the plans in full, visit the planning portal at welhat.gov.uk/planning-applications and search for reference 6/2023/0989/FULL.

The consultation is set to end on Thursday, June 15.