Children’s care home at Wirral Methodist Centre, Thingwall

What was proposed

The application sought to convert a Methodist church into a three-child residential care home with staff facilities and minor building changes.

“Location: Wirral Methodist Centre, 17 Seven Acres Lane, Thingwall, Wirral, CH61 7XZ Proposal: Change of use from Methodist Church (Class F1(f)) to residential children's care home with staff facilities (Class C2) for 3no. children. Minor external amendments to door and window arrangement and internal layout changes. Applicant: [the applicant]: [name withheld]…”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The vacant single-storey church has front parking and rear amenity space in a residential area surrounded by houses, businesses and community uses.

“The site comprises a single-storey L-shaped brick church which is currently vacant. There is a hard-surfaced car park to the front of the building and some grassed amenity space to the rear. The building is within the designated Primarily Residential Area of Thingwall and is surrounded by residential dwellings. The houses on Seven Acres Lane are characterised as detached and semi-detached bungalows.”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

Earlier permissions covered two bungalows and a church, a rear extension, and a detached dwelling in the early 1990s.

“Planning History: OUT/90/06745 Erection of two detached bungalows and a church, (outline) Approved September 1990”

“APP/93/05179 Erection of a single storey rear extension Approved March 1993”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the proposal met an identified need, reused a long-vacant building and caused no unacceptable planning harm.

“Section 70(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 require that the determination of planning applications must be made in accordance with the Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.”

“The scheme is not considered to result in the unacceptable loss of a necessary community facility, and it would bring this long-term vacant building back into a viable use. No harm has been identified to the living conditions at neighbouring properties, the character of the area, or highway safety.”

Officer report

Main planning issues

Officers assessed the principle of the use, community facility loss, future residents’ living conditions, neighbours, the area, parking and other matters.

“Assessment 8.1.1 The main issues pertinent in the assessment of the proposal are…”

“The principle of development, including the need for the development and the loss of the existing community facility. 2. The amenity of future occupiers. 3. The amenity of neighbouring occupiers and effect on the character and appearance of the area. 4. Access, Parking and Servicing. 5. Other matters.”

Officer report

Objections received

Six neighbours objected over operation, noise, parking, privacy, security, community use, emergency services, maintenance, overdevelopment and consultation.

“Summary of Representations REPRESENTATIONS Having regard to the Council Guidance on Publicity for Applications and the Statement of Community Involvement, 11no. notification letters were sent to neighbouring properties on 10 December 2025. The deadline for receipt of representations closed on 13 February 2026. 6 representations objecting to the application were received. Comments made within submitted representations have been summarised as follows: 1.”

“There is a lack of need for such a facility in Wirral and there is concern that there will be no benefit to Wirral children or the wider community arising from this use. 5. There will be an adverse impact on the emergency services comprising police, fire, and ambulance. 6. There will be a loss of privacy for neighbours due to overlooking and the potential for external security lighting and CCTV cameras. 7.”

Officer report

Who spoke

An objectors’ representative, Councillor Mike Sullivan and the applicant addressed the committee, with Members questioning the applicant.

The committee vote

The committee unanimously authorised approval, subject to conditions covering the development, parking, storage, occupancy, landscaping and fencing.

“Resolved (unanimously) - That for the reasons set out in the report the Chief Planner, Assistant Director of Regeneration and Place be authorised to approve the application subject to the following conditions:”

Minutes

Conditions attached

The conditions limit occupancy to three children and require approved plans, parking, cycle and bin stores, landscaping and boundary fencing.

“The development hereby permitted shall not be occupied until the cycle and bin stores shown on approved drawings 008 (Site Plans) and 010 (Bin/Bike Store) have been erected and made available for use. Thereafter the cycle and bin stores shall be retained. Bins shall be stored within the bin store at all times except on collection days.”

“The development hereby permitted shall not be occupied until: i) A detailed scheme for landscaping has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall demonstrate the enhancement of the existing site landscaping and the provision of 2-metre-high close boarded timber fencing to the side and rear boundaries of the site, where such fencing does not already exist, and ii) the landscaping enhancements and provision of fencing has…”

Officer report