A LANDMARK property in Lindale is to become a centre for vulnerable adults with learning disabilities and autism.

Greenacres Country Guest House was given the go-ahead by Lake District National Park planners to become an ‘institutional residence’.

Applicants Acorn Care and Education intend to use the six-bedroom property – which was on the market this summer for £430,000 – to accommodate six clients aged 19-to-65.

A meeting heard that 14 objections had been raised, citing confusion over what the centre would provide and concerns about ‘risk, nuisance and disturbance’ to residents.

The potential for ‘anti-social or criminal behaviour’ was raised along with the ‘lack of police presence’ in Lindale and Grange-over-Sands.

Objectors said it was an ‘inappropriate development’ for a small village, which  they claimed was losing its character and starting to resemble a ‘car dealership on an out-of-town retail park’.

But planners said the fears of local residents were ‘not founded on convincing evidence’.

Neil Henderson, an area planning officer for the LDNPA, said: “Those people with particularly complex or challenging behaviour will not be located at this particular site.”

The applicants also said it did not accommodate young people with ‘significant behavioural or criminal histories’ but focussed on the ‘very vulnerable’ with autism and learning needs.

“They can appear differently because of their disabilities but not in a way which has a negative impact on the local community,” the applicants said.

Member Mark Kidd pointed out that the centre did not ‘detain’ people. “I think we should consider how anti-social behaviour could affect the locality but equally we shouldn’t discriminate on the grounds of disability.”

Panel member Hugh Branney said: “There is a desperate need in communities for this sort of accommodation and it will remain as a guesthouse but for people with very special needs.”

Peter Allen, deputy chairman of the LDNPA, said: “The word that comes to mind is diversity. This presses just about every button.”

Plans are afoot to erect fencing, but the meeting was told this was to protect vulnerable people from traffic.

The meeting heard Acorn Care ran two homes in Kirkby Lonsdale and Grange-over-Sands – both of which were rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission.

There would be one-to-one supervision during the daytime and a night supervisor and an additional member of staff would also sleep at the property.