News of a children’s home being set up in a Sittingbourne estate has sparked fury among homeowners.

Plans to convert a property in Jacinth Drive, Sonora Fields, so it can accommodate youngsters aged between 10 and 18 with behavioural problems and learning difficulties, have reportedly already been approved by the council.

However, it has led to uproar among residents, who say they only found out about it after a 60-year-old man was arrested for breaking into the house at around 2am last Tuesday.

They then discovered Jamores Ltd had been given permission to convert the two-storey building from a house into a children’s home.

It was approved in March, but the housing provider was reportedly not legally obliged to advertise its intentions to neighbouring residents.

The Erith-based company declined to comment when contacted by the News Extra, but said in its application up to four youngsters will live at the house and be cared for by trained workers on a 24-hour basis.

Jamores said the home “intended to follow a similar pattern to that of a normal family”, with the children carrying out chores, such as cleaning, cooking, and gardening.

However, Paul Lewis, chairman of the area’s neighbourhood watch group, fears the youths will be from troubled homes and cause problems for the community.

He said: “We have enough problems with teenagers as it is and don’t need to be importing more – a residential estate doesn’t seem to be the ideal place for what they’re doing.

“We’ve had no prior warning or consultation from either the council or Jamores that a residential property had been purchased for this use.”

Jamores is also seeking planning permission to convert the home’s garage into an additional room, which a number of residents have criticised.

In a letter of objection posted on council website, Andrew Eastmond raised several concerns.

“Having a children’s home next door to my property will cut value of it and surrounding houses,” he wrote.

“I’m also concerned about noise as my son’s bedroom is at the rear and my daughter’s
bedroom is at the front.

“Are we going to have social workers turning up in the early hours creating noise and disturbing my family’s sleep?”

He was backed by Michael Rayner, who said he was annoyed at the lack of notice and fears parking problems.

“This is a residential estate not for business use, yet none of us were informed of this except by means of an innocuous sounding ‘change of use’ letter for a garage,” he wrote.

“Parking on The Meads is difficult enough as it is and now we are to lose a garage.”

Comments from the public on the application for the garage need to be registered by June. Visit http://pa.midkent.gov.uk