Planning application for children’s home in Cooks Spinney approved

News / Wed 28th Jan 2026 at 07:36am

A PLANNING application for another children’s home in Harlow was approved by the planning committee at Harlow Council.

The application was for 87 Cooks Spinney near The Stow.

Two residents spoke at the meeting to express their objections.

One, on the grounds of whether there was a need for the children’s homes.

Another local residents expressed her concerns regarding anti-social behaviour.

All but one councillor voted for the application.

Film is below.

4 Comments for Planning application for children’s home in Cooks Spinney approved:

David Forman

2026-01-28 08:36:23

See how few beds are required in Harlow by examining See Table 9 on page 40 of Supported and Specialist Housing and Accommodation Need Assessment (2025) dated August 4, 2025 at https://data.essex.gov.uk/download/2k6nr/yey/Supported%20and%20Specialist%20Housing%20and%20Accommodation%20Needs%20Assessment%20(2025).pdf

David Forman

2026-01-28 08:41:06

George Monbiot's Guardian May 2024 "How can a child in care cost £281,000 a year? Ask the wealth funds that have councils over a barrel" article is worth a read for it exposes the lavish profits available. They are so lucrative that the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund has invested in England's children's homes.

Seamus

2026-01-28 12:39:27

I still have concerns on a number of points on such applications. There has be a substantial uptick for such applications in Harlow with little or no deep dive into the applicant, the company, where are these children coming from and the business models authenticity. What also is a common tie is applicants are Nigerian or have strong links to Nigeria, I mention this only as a geographical fact and Companies House searches confirms this. The company was set up in 2023 but a web search for a companies website, shows none. The applicant who spoke at the meeting said his name was Emmanuel Liam. However his first and last name is Emmanuel Oghagbon something the councillors did not enquire as to why the names were different. Mr Oghagbon also owns Alphatree Property ltd. Both companies list only one employee since 2023 and that is the applicant, Mr Oghagbon. Given there is only one registered employee for both companies, no company website and no questions from the councillors such as are you currently a care home provider? If so where? and are you currently registered with ofsted? The council questions seemed to skirt around the same person has been running this address as a home with only one employee declared and without ofsted registration but the council now deem him as a fit a proper person to safeguard children with difficulties. Something is wrong in the state of Denmark is an apt euphemism

Lou

2026-01-29 16:34:32

Maybe if the councils would work with fans at home they wouldn’t have to be these children’s homes. Maybe the children should be at home with their actual birth parents instead of in these different old places maybe if the cancer doesn’t work with them with these families and then that wouldn’t be so many no so many children in the care systems in UK and in Suffolk and out of their areas maybe the government need to force to Council to work with families instead of putting these Placement care orders and these bloody other intimate care orders on shut down adoptions shut down Children home and get them to work with the families at home with their children. I think it’s a pollen and needs to be stopped.