Detox clinic approved despite local concerns

An unused children's residential activity centre will be turned into a live-in detox and rehab clinic for recovering addicts.

Permission to convert the use of Beluga House, in Littleton-upon-Severn, was given by a South Gloucestershire Council planning committee.

Up to 36 self-referring clients will be able to receive treatment and stay in the centre for four to six weeks.

But some locals do not support the decision, with parish councillor Julian Cooper saying a report to the committee was "muddled, legally dubious, contradictory, and in places superficial".

Aust Parish Council and 46 residents objected with concerns of flooding, traffic, pedestrian safety and the prospect of people with a wide range of addictions "roaming freely in the village".

Mr Cooper told the meeting on 14 March that the report lacked detail on how the centre would be run or a response to the "valid mental health issues raised by medical consultants", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Chris Dance, planning agent for applicants River Reach, said: "Clients will have access under supervision to outside areas but would not be roaming into and around the village.

"We are all vulnerable. Whatever your background we can all suffer from addiction and health challenges and we need support and care for those types of facilities."

Council development manager Marie Bath added that the centre would not be a secure unit and there would be no referrals from the courts.

She told the committee the private clinic would be overseen by the Care Quality Commission, which had given the operators, who have not been named, a rating of "good".

But ward councillor for Severn Vale, Matthew Riddle, said: "I'm still not convinced this is the right application and use for the site.

"It is unclear how the proposal will affect local people."

He said that "two big issues" included flood risk and transport to the site, which is next to the estuary just north of the Severn Bridge.

However, planning officers said there would be no adverse impact and predicted that vehicle movements will decrease from 338 a day - which was expected for the existing use - to 40.

Ms Bath told the meeting there were no objections from the local flooding authority or the Environment Agency.

Council solicitor Tonya Meers said that changing the Beluga House into a detox centre was legally enforceable.

The development management committee granted permission for the change of use by 8 -1 votes.