Plans to open a new children’s home in a rural village have been blocked due to the lack of facilities and public transport options in the area.

The care home provider Esland North Limited had proposed to turn a five-bedroom house in Brington Road, Old Weston into a new children’s home.

The company said the rural location of the home would be beneficial for children who have experienced abuse.

However, Huntingdonshire District Council said the house was too remote, highlighting the lack of shops or schools in the village, and the “very limited” bus service to Huntingdon.

The plans had asked for permission to turn the house and grounds into a children’s care home for young people aged between eight and 18.

The company behind the plans recognised the house was in a rural area, but said this was actually a benefit to help some young people with emotional behavioural difficulties.

It said: “Often children who have been the victim of child criminal exploitation and child sexual exploitation need to be located in an area where it will not be as easy for previous abusers to re-engage them.

“Not only does this provide safety and security for these children, but the more peaceful and tranquil setting can be beneficial in supporting time for reflection and recovery.

“Many of the children Esland care for have experienced abuse. This can lead to fear of busy places and loud noises and a rural placement can aid in the process of taking stock of their past and finding the safe space to move on. The same is often true for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“The need to place children rurally is principally about the risk that an urban environment poses to them rather than the risk they pose to their environment.

“Children in care are, by their very nature, highly vulnerable to people who wish to exploit and abuse and unfortunately the risk of this is significantly greater in urban environments than rural environments.”

However, Old Weston Parish Council and 26 members of the public objected to the plans, arguing the village had too few services to support the children who could end up living in the home.

In a report published by the district council, planning officers said they shared these concerns.

They said: “Old Weston is a small village with near to no services. Within the village is a pub, church and village hall and two bus stops with a very limited bus service to Huntingdon. It is noted that there is no school, no doctors and no shop within Old Weston.

“Taking into account the very limited bus service that only allows for a two hour window stop off in Huntingdon and the fact it only runs during the weekdays, it provides a limited level of accessibility to shops, services, community facilities and social networks which appears to be inappropriate to the needs of the intended occupiers (children).

“Given that staff will be on shift patterns, this will most likely result in staff using private motor vehicles given the limited public transport options available.”

The officer concluded that the house would be an “unsuitable location” for a children’s home, because of the lack of shops and services in the village.

They added that the “isolated nature” of the home would also mean staff having to “rely heavily” on using private cars to travel to and from the home.

The district council therefore rejected the application to change the use of the house to become a children’s home.

Esland North Limited can appeal against this decision, but must do so within six months of it being made.