Further plans to convert a property into a children's home has been submitted to the council, months after a previous proposal was rejected.

On Thursday, Ipswich Borough Council received an application on behalf of Phase Homes Ltd, suggesting that a three-storey home in Bramford Lane could become a residential home for three children.

A similar plan for a residential home for three children was submitted to the council in June – but this was rejected in August, with the council stating that “no details have been provided as to staff/care arrangements or even the number of children to be accommodated”.

A “business plan” submitted to the council regarding this current application explained that

“Phase Homes has been in operation since Jan 2024 and is a new organisation offering varying levels of support and accommodation to young people aged 7 up to 17 years old.” 

It added that Phase Homes aims to support children and young people with a wide range of needs, which may include those who struggle with low self-esteem and mental health issues, those who are “emotionally or behaviourally challenging” and those who are at risk of exploitation. 

Phase Homes, it said, “[strives] to offer each child a happy and meaningful experience of care where positive memories are made”.

The business plan added that “operational risks” would be managed by “[maintaining] a positive staff team who are focused on the delivery of personalised care and support, whilst maintaining consistency in the team approach”. 

The plan added that staff would be recruited at 24% above contracted capacity to ensure that staff absence could adequately covered, “therefore reducing the need to use agency staff”.

Floor plans submitted to the council show that the house currently has four bedrooms, and state that this would remain the same were the proposal to be accepted.

Ipswich Borough Council sets an automatic eight-week target date for a decision on all applications it receives. This application has been given a target date of January 2.