Nugent Care has approval to provide supported accommodation for Armed Forces Veterans
Nazareth House in Crosby(Image: Google)
A Grade II listed 19th Century villa is set to be converted into supported living accommodation for Armed Forces veterans. Nazareth House on Liverpool Road, Crosby, was most recently used as a children’s home until it closed in 2013.
The site comprises Nazareth House (that portion called Crosby House only) which is a Grade II Listed Italianate villa built in the early-mid 19th century. The proposal was put to Sefton Council’s planning committee at Bootle Town Hall last (October 15), by Nugent Care. The care provider secured permission for the change of use of Nazareth Villa from a children’s home to supported living accommodation for homeless veterans.
The site is located within an area designated as a care institution under the Sefton Local Plan. The council report said the proposed use is considered to remain within the scope of care-related activities and align with the policy objectives of Local Plan policies.
The building is located in the northwest corner and is the oldest part of the wider Nazareth House site which also includes Nazareth House Chapel, a non-designated Heritage Asset (NDHA) and currently functions as a care home.
The property is situated between two high schools, Merchant Taylors to the west and Sacred Heart Catholic College to the east. Residential properties also surround the wider site.
A petition containing 27 signatures was submitted in objection to the proposed planning application. which was endorsed by Councillor Leslie Byrom. 140 objections were submitted from 122 individual addresses and a total of 13 objections were lodged from 11 individual addresses.
The council report said the objections related to a range of concerns and the committee invited local resident, Joseph Walsh to lodge his group’s opposition to the application. Addressing the chamber, Mr Walsh said: “Placing this accommodation within such close proximity [to local schools] raises very serious safeguarding concerns.
“The applicant states that this development is to be carefully managed, a step down facility for Armed Force veterans reintegrating into the community. However, other documentation refers to drug and alcohol rehabilitation. These two models entail materially different risk profiles, for both residents and nearby children.
“Supportive documentation references support staff members on site during the day, offering planned, structured support visits. On the face of it, it would appear inadequate.”
Responding to the objection, Cllr Mike Sammon said: “[Mr Walsh] mentioned about the drug rehabilitation. I couldn’t see that in the application, could [Mr Walsh] tell me where that came from?”
Mr Walsh said: “On the original notice on the side of Myers Road East, it’s described originally as a crisis accommodation for those that may be suffering from substance or alcohol misuse.”
Speaking in support of the application was John Simms, executive director of property for Nugent Care, he said: “Our intention is to use the property as supported living accommodation for former veterans who’ve experienced homelessness and are on the path to transition into their own permanent residence, and employability options and opportunities which they’ll be supported in finding.
“The initial application did include ‘crisis units’, but when we first put [the planning application] in, we weren’t fully fleshed out on what the actual support service would be. At that point, we were three years away from actually having a service open and up and running. So it was just in theory, what would fit best in the property for a homeless based service.
Mr Simm continued: “We naively called a couple of the rooms ‘crisis’, and understandably, I can see why that’ causing more concern, maybe within the community, than it needed to. That’s not going to be what this property is for.
“The block will be able to do deal with people in crisis, but they have a property in Liverpool City Centre that does that. This will be for low level, low support requirement, people who are transitioning towards the next chapter in their life.”
The planning committee unanimously voted to approve the scheme at Nazreth House, with Nugent Care indicating work could start on development in the next 18 months.