Education, News

Mansfield childcare centre operating ‘for years’ without permission could be allowed to continue

By Latifa Yedroudj, Junior Local Democracy Reporter

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A childcare centre in Mansfield which operated for years without planning permission could win approval to continue after dozens of local people wrote letters of support for the business.

Kangaroo Teacher Led Childcare, on Kenmore Close, caters for up to 12 children in a detached house.

The centre, where owner Alison Norrington also lives, received a complaint in 2024 after it was discovered she had been running the site without planning permission since 2020.

The centre hires three other staff members who work with children under five.

Mrs Norrington applied for planning permission in January this year for a partial change of the house into a childcare business.

But the application received six objections, raising concerns over noise, parking, fire safety risks, traffic and litter in the area.

However, 35 letters of support have also been written by neighbours, praising the centre for providing an “invaluable service to the community”, and adding closing the site would leave parents “struggling” to find other day care centres.

The application will go through Mansfield District Council’s planning committee on Monday, June 9 where it is recommended for approval subject to conditions.

The council recommends setting limits on the centre’s operating hours and making sure no more than 12 children are there at a time.

The conditions also state the owner must send in plans to improve the driveway and parking area to meet highway standards – and the work must be done within six months.

The centre can employ no more than three extra staff, documents say.

The council said there are “economic benefits” to the childcare centre as an “affordable and convenient service” that allows parents to return back to work.

Documents say: “The use of domestic properties for small business uses is increasingly common as this model is often more affordable, convenient and many service users preferring a home based setting/home from home environment when it comes to a use such as childcare.

“There are often some economic benefits that arise from these uses.

“In the case of childminding, the economic outputs include jobs and the service provided would allow parents continue or return back to work which is important for the wider economy.

“In this case the application is retrospective and the business has been operating since January 2020. It is reasonable to conclude that it’s capacity has grown in the last five years.

“At present, there are a number of parents who use this service.”

Closing the centre could cause a “significant impact” to families who use it, documents say.

“Discontinuation would inevitably cause a significant impact upon their childcare arrangements and work.

“The economic benefits must however be weighed against the potential harms which can arise due to the potential of increase noise, disturbance, traffic and parking difficulties on site; all of which have been discussed above.”

Owner Alison Norrington thanked parents for their continued support, and said she is committed to minimising the childcare facility’s impact on nearby residents.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We would like to thank all of the members of our local community who have taken the time and effort to support our application and our business – from official statements of support to phone calls, toy donations, visits, chats with us when we are out on our adventures to kind offers of parking for parents and staff.”

She added: “We are hoping that the committee act on the advice of the planning officer and grant the permission – we are extremely grateful to the planning team at Mansfield District Council who have been superb from start to finish.”