Care home's plan to host Indian staff and families in mobile homes

A care home has applied for permission to build six mobile homes to house staff it is recruiting from India. 

Dorrington House, on Norwich Road, Watton, says it has tried unsuccessfully to hire people locally to fill its carer vacancies.

It is applying to Breckland Council to have the mobile homes behind its car park, to temporarily accommodate the staff and their families. 

Planning officers are recommending councillors vote against the proposal because it would “likely... cause overlooking and undue noise and disturbance” to neighbouring properties. 

In an email to the council, owner of the home Steve Dorrington said: "We are recruiting from India like most homes. We have loads of evidence trying to recruit locally.

"These people are very expensive. Agencies are in the same boat, and they don't know the residents.

"We only use them [the mobile homes] for staff. It may be their husbands and children come over whilst we try and find them somewhere.

“We have been relied upon by hospitals and NCC [Norfolk County Council] as our fees are NCC rates and we are in town and purpose-built.

"The land is vacant and the plan is to develop very sheltered [sic]. They will be required for about three years.”