The project to transform the former Pool Lane foster home, Oldburyin a retirement home that can accommodate up to three vulnerable children, was refused by Sandwell Council planning committee in October over a lack of parking.

However, Madiha Ali appealed against the applicants Abbey Residential Care in a bid to have the decision overturned. The government planning inspectorate, which has the power to cancel advicewill now decide whether the retirement home can open or not.

Sandwell Council rejected the same decision to convert the former foster home into a children’s home 18 months ago before allowing plans to convert the home into a six-bed house of multiple occupancy (HMO) .

According to the application, four parking spaces would have been provided for the converted dwelling house, which councilors deemed insufficient to allay their concerns. Although the application for the care home to accommodate up to three children and staff was rejected, the home could still be transformed into a six-bed HMO.

Former Sandwell Mayor Cllr Bill Gavan spoke out against the project on behalf of affected residents when the application was discussed in September and October.

At the October planning meeting, Cllr Gavan said he was not opposed to children’s homes but was against an opening at Pool Lane – which he called a “cash cow in the smallest cul-de-sac in Sandwell.

“I’m not opposed to children’s homes, I’m opposed to the location of this particular home,” he told councilors. “My objection only concerns traffic management. I don’t understand how traffic cops can allow anything, let alone a house in multiple occupation. There isn’t even room for trash cans for a multiple occupancy house on this street.

Cllr Gavan previously criticized the move, saying this type of home was run for profit and “without love and care”. He was encouraged to make the claim after seeing a similar children’s home nearby become a blight on neighbors and police were called more than 100 times. less than two years.

He accused Abbey Residential Care of “playing games” after knocking on doors to try to convince neighbors to withdraw their objections – telling them it was a simple choice between “10 strangers in an HMO or three children”.

Syeda Madiha Maham Ali, Surrey Principal Abbey Residential Caresaid the former foster home which belonged to his parents had been “built to care for children” and the change of use would play a “small but important role” in helping to provide a safe environment for children vulnerable in Sandwell.

She said her family home was moved in 1991 and her parents cared for more than 100 children from Sandwell over a 25-year period as foster carers.

Seven objections were made to the application, alongside a petition with 31 signatures. A petition with more than 130 signatures has been launched against last year’s children’s home plan.