Plans to turn a family house into a new children’s home have been submitted to Braintree Council.

Shalamer Children is seeking to transform 41 Colchester Road in White Colne and create a place for children in need of a stable home to live in.

The home will be able to cater for a maximum of four children aged between four and 17.

A report, submitted alongside the application, states: “Given the nature and scale of this proposal together with the professional management of the home by the applicant as underpinned by Ofsted it is highly unlikely that such use would have an adverse impact on the amenity of its neighbours with any potential impact being negligible at the very worst.”

Shalamer Children is a small Essex-based company which specialises in housing troubled children and offering them a therapeutic style of care in small numbers to help them progress and develop in a safe and supportive environment.

A spokesman for the company said: “How we look at it is there are a lot of children out there in need of a home.

“For these children, all they want is somewhere to live.

“This is not a business that would be set up, it would be like any other home and we want the children to feel part of the place where they live and get on with their neighbours like anyone else would want.”

The home would be registered to Ofsted whose inspectors would be responsible for monitoring the care of the children and the property throughout the year.

Parking for staff would come via six car parking spaces towards the front of the property.

There are no plans to fundamentaly change the appearance of the building and the company insist any internal changes to the set up of the home would not have an impact on neighbours or the character of the property, street or the neighbourhood.

Shalamer Children has also looked to ease any concerns neighbours and nearby residents may have about disruption by stating staff shift handovers would take place at 10.30am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

A decision will be made by Braintree Council.