Campaigners' joy after plans for mental health home withdrawn (From Your Local Guardian)

Homeowners in Downs Wood, Epsom, feared care home could threaten children's safety

7:20am Monday 23rd August 2010 in News By Paul Teed

Victory: Neighbours campaign outside house in Downs Wood, Epsom, that Cascade Care wanted to convert into a care home

Homeowners opposed to controversial plans for a new halfway house for mental health patients in their quiet street have been celebrating after the healthcare provider withdrew its application.

Residents in Downs Wood, Epsom, expressed fears for the safety of children as Cascade Care could have used the proposed care home to help former criminals and drug users reintegrate into society.

About 60 neighbours, including lawyers and health professionals living in the road, organised a campaign and held meetings with Epsom and Ewell MP Chris Grayling.

It led to Cascade Care - which provides healthcare for people with challenging mental health needs including many who have left secure hospitals or prison - backing down this week.

Mother-of-three Nicky Dunford, of Downs Wood, said: “We are absolutely overjoyed, we can all resume normal life now. It was so time consuming trying to look at every single angle and get our facts together to put forward a professional fight.

“We were having to put together a short-term plan to stop them exchanging contracts and also a long-term plan if they were to move in and how we would approach it. Our faith has been restored in democracy.

“It was a massive team effort and we’ve all made lots of new friends through it as well.”

She thanked Mr Grayling and Councillor Nick Harrison for supporting their campaign.

Neighbours sought legal advice on how to fight Cascade Care’s application, which asked for permission to house six residents in a former family home in Downs Wood.

Mr Grayling wrote to the chief executive of Cascade Care to ask him to withdraw the proposal and discussed the plans with Reigate and Banstead Council.

He said: "I think it is wrong to locate such an important facility for very vulnerable people in a place that is poorly served by public transport and where there are few services and employment opportunities close by.”

Cascade Care declined to comment.