A children’s care home could be coming to Winnersh after plans were submitted to Wokingham Borough Council.

Jenevi Educare has applied to turn 54 Welby Crescent into a small residential care home for children with behavioural and emotional difficulties including autism.

The building will accommodate a maximum of two children and two members of staff on site at any one time.

There will be no changes to the appearance of the building and no changes to the internal layout. Jenevi Educare said that this would result in no impact on the visual amenity of the area.

The care provider aims ‘to support young people between the ages of 7-18 years of age who are looked after by local authorities to prepare them holistically for their transition to returning home or into adulthood and independence’.

In the planning application they wrote that the ‘proposed scheme will provide a much-needed care facility which is not significantly different in nature to its former and potential current use’.

Plans include the introduction of a new parking space to be used by staff members.

But the application has received seven objections from neighbours, expressing concern about the proposed changes.

Many said that they thought if this was approved, it would set a ‘precedent’ for other conversions of homes to take place in the future.

One resident wrote that local amenities of schools and healthcare facilities are at 'near capacity', meaning a children’s care home ‘could diminish quality of services to existing residents’.

Others were concerned about the parking used by staff members of the care home. Although a second car park space is being added, residents are still worried this will clog up the roads.

There was further concern about the care provider, Jenevi Educare, which one resident wrote had ‘no track record’ of running a care home and was not based locally.

The home is currently a standard dwelling, so care providers have to apply for permission for changed use of the property.

The care home will then be able to be registered under OFSTED, which can only take place once they have gained full planning consent.

Older planning documents said that the property will provide care and support for three young people with a maximum of eight full-time staff members, who will operate on a shift basis.

The plan was then adjusted to include two young people and two staff members.