A fresh proposal to establish a children's home in a substantial seven-bedroom house in Olton has been formally submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
Revised Application Follows Previous Refusal
The applicant, New Focus Child Care Limited, is seeking a certificate of lawful development for the property on Grange Road. This move comes after the council refused a previous application for a certificate of lawfulness to change the use of the dwelling to a care home for up to five children.
If approved, the certificate would mean the company does not require full planning permission to proceed with the change of use. The application, registered under reference PL/2026/00059/CLOPUD, was lodged in January 2026.
Details of the Proposed Care Home
The plans outline a care home that would provide for four children aged between six and 18 years old. Care would be provided by a team of up to four carers during the day and two during the night, operating on a 48-hour shift pattern.
A planning statement from the agent, Knights, stresses that no structural or external alterations are needed. The statement reads: "The existing building as it stands provides the required level of accommodation and room sizes." The goal is to create an environment "as close as practically possible to normal family life."
The property's layout, as shown in submitted floor plans, includes:
- Ground floor: Kitchen, two living rooms, two dining rooms, one children's bedroom, and one staff bedroom.
- First floor: Three further children's bedrooms, a staff bedroom, two bathrooms, a study, and an en-suite.
The site also offers seven off-street parking spaces, which the applicant states is more than sufficient for staff vehicles.
Legal Argument for the Change of Use
The core of the application rests on a legal argument that the change constitutes a Class C2 residential institution use. The planning agents contend that this shift would not represent a "material change of use" requiring a full planning application.
"It is Knights' view the change of use of the property to a Class C2 use would not represent a material change of use," the statement asserts. "The proposal would not require the submission of a planning application."
The outcome now rests with Solihull Council's planning team, who must determine whether the proposed use is lawful under permitted development rules. Residents and interested parties can view the full application online using the reference number.
