ELDERLY residents from a supported housing development have launched a petition over proposals to turn a Darwen B&B into a mental health crisis centre for youngsters.

Ten residents of The Gables in St Albans Road, Darwen, which is a supported housing development catering for older people located on the corner of the proposed Blackburn Road development, have objected after raising fears of the possibility of increased anti-social behaviour.

Proposals were lodged last month to convert the B&B on Blackburn Road into a centre for men and women between 10 and 20. The centre will have five en-suite bedrooms for young people.

The vision is to support young people in crisis from mental health difficulties.

The young person will remain at the placement for between eight to 12 weeks on average but is expected there will be times when this will be extended on clinical need.

The centre will be used as an alternative to hospital admission or to facilitate an early discharge from hospital.

A statement submitted as part of the application said: “At the placement we will aim to achieve stabilisation and to transition the young person back into the community in a safe manner.

“The placement will be CQC registered and audited though Ofsted.

“The placement will be staffed 24 hours and seven days per week. The placement will have on average two support workers on duty and a registered mental health nurse during the day.

“There will be two staff on duty at night, a sleep-in staff and a waking watch staff.

“There will be a manager present Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and on call-out.

“There will be a full multi-disciplinary team working with the young people that will include therapists, teachers, clinical psychologist, consultant psychiatrist, youth worker, substance misuses practitioner and clinical practitioners.

“The placement will run with a full therapeutic programme which will include full assessment, stabilisation therapies, social inclusion, and a full health and wellbeing programme to promote healthy diet, exercise and general healthy living."

“We will involve and maintain contact with families and carers where ever possible and will facilitate home visits/access as part of the placement either at the young person’s home or in a community setting.”

A report will go before the council’s planning and highways committee next week.

states: “The proposed change of use was subject to pre-application advice which set out the council’s support in principle, subject to satisfactory detailed assessment of highway and noise impacts of the development.

“A case officer recommendation is yet to be finalised, pending receipt of outstanding consultee responses.

“The recommendation will be presented to the chairman of the committee in due course.”