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APPLICANT WARNS 'NURSERY WON'T OPEN' IF PLANNING PERMISSION NOT GRANTED IMMINENTLY 04:59, 31 May 2025 A worried applicant seeking permission to turn a Catherine-de-Barnes home

into a nursery says a decision is needed urgently to avoid “negative consequences”. As the Local Democracy Reporting Service previously reported Dr Gunpreet Khalon applied for a Certificate

of Lawfulness to confirm the legality of turning The Paradise, in Bickenhill Lane, into a private nursery. In a setback for the applicant Mark Andrews, head of planning, design and

engagement services at Solihull Council, then issued a refusal notice in March. READ MORE: Birmingham Airport's night-time flights to be monitored after increase sparks complaints _FOR

MORE STORIES FROM ACROSS_ _SOLIHULL_ _INCLUDING BHX, BREAKING NEWS, POLITICS AND WHAT'S ON, SIGN UP TO OUR_ _MYSOLIHULL_ _NEWSLETTER_ The officer wrote: “The proposed change of use from

existing residential property to small private nursery, Class C3 to Class E would not constitute permitted change. Article continues below “Should the applicant wish to pursue this proposal

an application for full planning permission for change of use should be submitted.” Now the applicant has formally applied for planning permission, submitting an application with the

authority on April 23. A supporting statement included with the application says: “The applicant originally submitted a Certificate of Lawfulness application following direct advice provided

by officers of Solihull Council. “This advice, subsequently proven to be incorrect, led to the wrong type of application being lodged.” The statement says the applicant discovered over

Easter Bank Holiday weekend the application had been refused weeks earlier. “This discovery was a complete shock to the applicant, who had been relying in good faith on their professional

architect and the local authority’s guidance,” the statement says. “The applicant is now placed in an exceptionally difficult and unfair position, facing imminent deadlines and significant

public interest impacts, none of which are of their making.” The statement stresses there is a risk of the Ofsted registration process collapsing and the nursery being unable to open this

September and having to delay until September 2026 “if planning permission is not urgently secured”. The plans, lodged with Solihull Council, show the ground floor transformed, featuring a

kitchen, open play area and activity zone, with the first floor changed to include a playroom, learning area and sleep zone. The application proposes the opening hours for the nursery would

be 7am to 7pm in the application. And the applicant argues there is a “significant community need” in the location described as “ideal and sustainable for a small private nursery”. Article

continues below The application is going through the planning process with a consultation period now open which runs until June 6. To view the plans and submit a comment search for

application PL/2025/00839/PPFL at https://publicaccess.solihull.gov.uk/online-applications.