A house in Hartford will be turned into a children’s home after new plans were approved this week.

Cheshire West and Chester’s planning committee gave the thumbs up to a council plan to transform the five-bed property in School Lane into residential accommodation for children aged between eight and 18.

According to the plans, there will be no more than four children living there at any one time, along with two members of staff.

Two objections had been received citing issues such as fear of anti-social behaviour and impact on traffic.

Addressing the meeting, committee member Cllr Myles Hogg said: "I hear the local concern, but I have to say I don't share it.

"If this were to be a private house we could have a lot more than three or four children in it. We could have a lot more than two or three cars at any given time."

Stating his intention to support the application, he added: "These children, young adults, are probably going to be better behaved than the average child in – I won’t call them a ‘normal’ home.

"These children have already suffered a great deal and I don't think we should add to their ordeal by not providing proper accommodation for them. I think it's only a human, natural thing to do."

The property was previously a nursing home, but planning permission was granted to turn it into a private residence back in 2012.

Cllr Gaynor Sinar asked whether it would be possible to use the property for a nursing home again, she said: "Although I know we need young people and children’s homes, we will also be needing adult social care which might be a better fit. I wonder if there’s been any consideration of multi-purpose use?"

But officers said the committee could only consider the plans in front of it that day. Addressing the point, committee chair Cllr Gina Lewis, added: “Yes it was previously an adult care home.

"But this is something that the council has actually decided to move forward on in terms of finding accommodation within the borough for children who have lived in the borough.

"And what is happening is that we don't have sufficient accommodation and that's why we have this application before as at this moment in time."

She added: "It's trying to resolve the problem of keeping children who live in Cheshire and in Cheshire West here, rather than putting him in the care homes or other accommodation elsewhere."

The scheme was then approved unanimously.