A PLANNING application to open another children's home in Stockton has been made.

However, unlike the three other recently opened children's homes in Hartburn, Stillington and Thorpe Thewles, the new home would not be for troubled children with behavioural problems.

Instead the new home at The Willows in Aislaby Road, Eaglescliffe, would cater for up to five children and young people aged eight to 18 who have severe autism.

A Stockton Borough Council spokesman stressed that the project is not at all connected at all to its long-term plan to open a fourth children's home but has come from an individual.

Unlike the other applications, which led to hundreds of objections and public meetings, only two people have objected to the home for autistic children so far.

The family home would be converted and would require a total of ten parking spaces. The centre, which would be called Josh's Place, would be staffed 24 hours a day and there would be eight staff members.

In a long letter to the council to accompany the application, Mark Dalzell who wants to create the children's centre, said: "I have personal experience of raising an autistic child therefore I am fully aware of the need for high quality services that are required to support the children and their families.

"It is my intention to provide an exceptional high quality care home in Yarm to address the deficit within the local area. I understand that Stockton Borough Council have plans to return Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties children who require residential social care but do not need to be placed outside the area due to a shortage of appropriate resources."

One of the people who objected cited the risk of a rise in anti-social behaviour and crime – despite the fact there is no connection between children with autism being linked to criminality in any way. She also said there could be parking issues, increased littering, loss of privacy and noise.

She said: "I most strongly object on the grounds listed above. This is a family house and was not built or meant to be used as a business. It is far too close to a small housing estate where we have many established problems with anti-social behaviour which can be found logged with the police and Stockton's anti-social behaviour."

The only other objection was from the man living in the same address as the first objector. He said: "The property was not meant to run as a business whatever it is."

The application is for 'change of use' for the building but does not include new construction work. Planning officers have not yet made a recommendation and it is not yet listed on a planning agenda.