A scheme to transform a house into an “emotional and behavioural home” for children has now been called off.

Earlier this year an application was made to turn the five-bedroom detached house on Whitehall Lane in Blackrod into a home for up to three children with a manager and up to three staff.

But the proposal has now been withdrawn.

Cllr David Grant, of Horwich South and Blackrod, said: “With applications like these you obviously have to be very sensitive because its not about the children, it’s about the provider.

“So when this came up I then raised it with children’s services and they then had various concerns about the provider.”

The plans have now been withdrawnThe plans have now been withdrawn (Image: Rose Consulting, Planning and Regeneration)

He added: “So while I wouldn’t have made a determination before it came to committee, I did have concerns about this particular application.

“So that’s excellent news that it’s now been withdrawn.”

This comes with similar plans have been put forward at various locations across Bolton in recent months to create small scale children’s homes.

The application to convert the house on Whitehall Lane was made on Monday, May 13.

A statement prepared by Rose Consulting, Planning and Regeneration for applicants Invigor Adolescent Care Ltd said that they hoped the children would be living there long term.

It said: “The home will be registered as an emotional and behavioural home.

“Children will undergo a stringent impact risk assessment to ensure they integrate with the local community.

“This considers the home, the environment, the community, plus peer groups and assesses against each child as an individual prior to admission into the home.

“The children will live at the property long term, hopefully for many years.

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“This is not a halfway house or emergency housing for children.”

It added: “The proposed children’s home seeks to replicate as closely as possible a normal family environment.

“This type of provision, which government policy is promoting, is to help children who often, through no fault of their own, have not had good parenting in their early years.”

But on Friday July 12, the council announced that the plans had been withdrawn.