A FORMER guest house, originally built as a church, could become a "much-needed" care home for children under plans submitted to Newport council.

Plans have been lodged to convert the vacant Chapel Guest House in St Brides, Newport, into a residential care home for up to four children.

Staff on site will provide care 24-hours a day, 365 days a year on a rota basis with a minimum of two carers on site at all times.

No staff members will live full-time on site, although they will always have a presence by way of rotation.

The Social Work Company is behind the application, which provides residential placements for children and young people aged 10 to 17 with Newport City Council.

The children receiving care will not have any particular special educational or health needs, according to a planning statement.

It says: "It is proposed that a maximum of four children will reside at the house and they need to be provided with as normal and best quality residential and family environment as possible, which with the care provided by the Social Work Company will allow the children to have a stable, nurturing and caring environment to grow and flourish."

The plans will see the property effectively operate as a family home, although adult carers will always be on site, according to the plans.

During the day the children will be at school and therefore there will be little activity, it is said.

The property in Church Road has been used as a seven-bedroom guest house since it opened in 1983.

It is therefore said to be "of a suitable size" for the small scale care provision being proposed.

The property also comes with gardens and play space which is appropriate for the plans, the planning statement says.

It adds: "The proposals will provide a much-needed residential care home for children in need of care in Newport."

Originally the property was built as Rehoboth Baptist Church in 1828, before it was converted to a guest house in the 1980s.

See the plans at newport.gov.uk, searching reference 18/1133.