A proposal to turn a two-bedroom mid-terrace house in Darwen into a care home for one child has been rejected.

Associated Wellbeing wanted to convert the property, but its planning application for the change has been rejected by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Under the scheme, the house in Blackburn Road would have become a children's home for a maximum of one child (aged from seven to 18 years old), with up to three carers, two of whom would sleep overnight, working on a rota basis.

But the borough has refused the application, laying out a number of reasons.

These included 'its failure to demonstrate a need arising from the requirements of people with a defined association with Blackburn With Darwen, its nature and scale failing to align with the council's commissioning strategies, and an unwarranted increase in the level of demand for public support services, to the extent that those services would deteriorate for existing users'.

A report by planning officer Nick Blackledge recommending refusal says: "The application site relates to a two-bedroom mid-terrace dwelling located on the east side of Blackburn Road, Darwen.

"In summary, the proposal would involve the creation of a children’s home to replicate as closely as possible a normal family environment, for a child with emotional and behavioural home needs, which would be regulated by OFSTED.

"The effect on public service provision must be considered in the context of the child care sector specific to the Blackburn with Darwen local authority area which suffers significant levels of deprivation, meaning that public sector services are subject to significant pressures.

"Children’s residential placements currently cost between £2,750 and £5,000 a week depending on the level of care and support needed for that child.

"The cost of provision is naturally linked to property value.

"This means that independent providers are inclined to set up homes in areas where property is more affordable.

"Once a child is resident in an area, the costs of mainstream education and healthcare provision fall to the public sector bodies responsible for that area.

"For example, if a young person goes missing, local services will be mobilised to find and support them.

"There is no mechanism to recharge these costs to the placing authority.

"There is abundant evidence that looked-after children have greater than average support needs.

"Accommodating looked after children from anywhere in the country is not a financially viable model for the authority.

"It is against this context that the council’s children’s service’s strategic commissioning consultee has offered an objection to the proposal, on the premise that the local authority area cannot support the likely impacts arising on public service provision."