Dinnington care home refused permission for caravans to house ‘migrant workers’ who ‘struggle to rent locally’

Glades Nursing Home, in the Grade II*-listed former Dinnington Hall, applied to place two static caravans in the grounds, for use as staff accommodation.

According to a report to Rotherham Council planning board, “the applicant indicated the caravans are required to house migrant workers who due to their immigration status and low wages struggle to rent properties locally”.

The council received 18 objections from residents, and an additional objection from Dinnington Town Council, which stated it does “not consider the accommodation is appropriate for housing,” and caravans “are not appropriate within the setting of a listed building”.

Residents raised concerns around potential overlooking of neighbouring properties and loss of privacy, as well as “security and privacy of staff at the neighbouring vets, as there is no security fence in situ".

One resident stated “the nursing home could recruit local staff” and another that “there is available housing locally that could be provided for the staff”.

During the planning board’s latest meeting, applicant Paul Milner, of Conniston Care, said the service is “struggling…to recruit and retain staff”.

He said the caravans are a “short-term” solution, until staff are established in the community.

He said: “We keep up with all the minimum wage requirements. There’s about 200 staff we need locally to support about 200 beds. We look as far as we can to recruit from overseas.

“The problem is, they come into the country with no bank account, no references, so for short periods of time, we need to look after them and then get them out into the normal accommodation market.

“Local landlords will not look at these people because of those issues. They have waiting lists for fully vetted tenants, ready to access any properties that are available.”

Coun David Smith, town council chairman, said the council doesn’t believe the caravans will provide “acceptable accommodation for staff”.

“We believe there should be proper accommodation, not in some mobile home or some caravan,” he told the meeting.

Councillors voted to overturn the planning officer’s reccomendation and refuse the scheme.