A NEW parent assessment centre - which will judge the parenting ability of someone over a three-month period - will be created in the town centre after Barnsley Council deemed the plans acceptable.
The unit on Victoria Road is currently used as a commercial office.
However plans were submitted in September to turn it into a residential unit which will be run by White’s Healthcare.
The unit was previously mooted to be used as a new state-funded school.
An application was initially submitted in April 2023 - from Compass Schools - to turn an office building, on Victoria Road, into a new school for up to 24 pupils.
However, following public consultation and a discussion by the council’s planning board, the proposals were rejected on the grounds that the development did not enter any pre-application discussions with the local authority.
Subsequently, plans were submitted to the council to create the parent assessment centre.
A report states: “Our proposed use of the building calls for only superficial changes to the property.
“To meet our regulatory requirements under Ofsted a change of use is required to change the current use of the property from commercial to a ‘C2 residential institute’.
“Access to the site is via Victoria Road and as the proposed use is residential, a reduction in traffic to the site would be expected.”
The unit will be used as a parent assessment centre, where parents will live for 12 weeks and be the subject of a review by staff who work there.
They will then decide whether or not they are able to look after their children at home, or if they’ll be placed into care.
The report added: “The nature of the business conducted at the property will be a parent assessment centre.
“This involves local authorities or courts placing parents with child or children with us for a short term residential placement of 12 weeks in order to assess their parenting ability.
“The assessment is then used to determine by the courts or the placing local authority, what is in the best interests of the child or children with regards to their future care, either stay with parents or failing that alternative arrangements such as kinship care or foster care.”
Six members of staff will be on the site full-time, with CCTV cameras in every room.
A total of 61 neighbouring properties were made aware of the plans and three objections were received.
The main points of concern are increased noise, safety concerns for locals and highways issues.
However, the council approved the application earlier this week.
The report added: “It is essential that land currently in use or last used for employment purposes is protected and safeguarded from non-employment uses.
“The building has been utilised as offices and the current proposal would retain an employment element with six staff during the day and two staff during the night.
“Unlike the previous school application of the site, there are no alterations proposed to the car park and the location and size of the patio to the rear would not significantly impact parking numbers or turning/manoeuvring facilities.
“Furthermore, also unlike the previous application, the existing access point from Victoria Road would be retained.
“Based upon the above the proposals are in compliance with the development plan meaning that the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
“In such circumstances proposals that accord with an up to date development plan should be approved without delay.”
