A 32-bed home which helps “neglected and ignored” veterans has won unanimous backing from councillors.
The home for veterans at Morgan House at the edge of Boosbeck, east Cleveland, opened late last year, having been empty for several years following its former use as a nursing home.
The hub which provided a haven for struggling ex-servicemen and women was met with support for veterans but some concerns and fears from residents over its impact on the community.
Yobs smashed nine bedroom windows and daubed offensive and abusive graffiti on the walls at the home on Margrove Road while veterans were sleeping in June.
Now, councillors on Redcar and Cleveland Council’s regulatory committee have been told how the retrospective plan to keep the home running was “misunderstood”, inflamed by misinformation on social media, and they approved the plan to continue the home’s use *on Thursday (October 1).
Owner Keith Rutherford said the idea followed the tragic death of 36-year-old Royal Marine Commando Sam Morgan, from Guisborough, who took his own life in November 2024.
He said: “That hit home for me, that veterans were being neglected and ignored. The site was perfect for a peer-to-peer support village, right at the edge of the moors, plenty of outside nature.
“We do running and walking. That’s why I think the landscape is paramount, it’s location is perfect.”
He said he leased the building to the Healthier Heroes community interest company, which supports, rehabilitates and reconnects veterans and their families.
He said it was staffed 24 hours with a structured tier programme, and it was an alcohol-free “dry house”, which he admitted was “hard to police”, but gave the “glowing example” of a resident who turned his life around from sleeping rough for two years, and now gave others hope and help.
He added: “The residents contribute positively to the area, taking part in litter picking and other activities intended to care for the village and strengthen relationships with neighbours.
“We encourage people to live independently. We teach people to be better tenants.
“We’re sobering them up, getting them off drugs, doing all sorts of stuff… We’re getting more referrals than we have beds. It seems to be the perfect model at the moment.”
Supporter Gordon Henderson said the original building was changed dramatically, refurbished to a high standard and brought back to life, adding: “It serves a really useful purpose in society, in stark contrast to those days before the applicant started work on the project.
“The facility is a secure and controlled operation where the residents want to be. Residents are carefully vetted and scrutinised before being allowed in. Strict rules apply to the residents.”
He said there had been some problems setting it up, the plan to change the building’s use was “widely misunderstood” because it was classed as a house in multiple occupation (HMO), and “there were some unpleasant actions taken by a minority”.
But he contended it had now settled down to run smoothly without problems to the community, run by a passionate, tight-knit team of 16.
One resident spoke at the meeting, saying the hub had changed the “character and intensity” of the property and had a significant impact on the area.
They said: “I recognise that there’s a genuine need for supported accommodation and this is not an objection to veterans or vulnerable people. It’s an objection to the suitability of this use in this location, the lack of meaningful consultation and concerns about the adequacy of management arrangements.”
Skelton West Councillor Ursula Earl said the idea had received support and sympathy, but some were worried about people with vulnerabilities like substance misuse coming into the small village and “the idea that it was an HMO was upsetting people”.
Also, in one reported incident, Mr Rutherford said a veteran reported to have been drinking near a school was “nothing to do with us… we got tarred with that brush”.
Cllr Earl said fears continued despite a productive meeting with residents and reassurances about management, and there were worries non-veterans could be brought in.
But committee chair Cllr Stuart Smith said a planning condition specified the home was only for veterans.
Cllr Earl said: “There was also an attack on the building, which was awful, in the summer. The building was graffitied… It’s thought that the perpetrators were out of area.”
She added: “I have no objection to this being a supported living facility for veterans. Any other problems I believe can be resolved between the management of Morgan House and residents.”
Cllr David Taylor, the authority’s armed forces champion, said: “There was a lot of shock, windows going through in the middle of the night. I think the word ‘HMO’ is probably why it was targeted.
“This is for veterans. Some of them have struggled in life. There is a management plan in place and it does support people with vulnerable needs.
“It’s massive. For me, if it didn’t go through, are we going to displace 32 veterans and go against our armed forces covenant?”
Planning officers recommended the plan for approval, but the council received five letters objecting over issues like anti-social behaviour, alcohol and drug misuse, noise, disturbance, impact on residents, consultation, safeguarding, staffing and management.
Councillors also had reservations after they were not given a management plan for the home, but this was provided at the meeting.
Mr Rutherford was asked how residents could be given confidence. He said: “I’m a local guy. I want to make sure this place is successful.”
He said Healthier Heroes was a good operator which would sort out problems: “There will be issues where we’ve had a few drunken moments. But to my knowledge nothing in the past six months.”
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Councillor Vera Rider. Picture/credit: RCBC. Free for use for all LDRS partners.
Cllr Vera Rider said: “I think all of our questions have been answered today. I don’t think we’re ever going to be short of veterans, this is a well managed plan and I have no hesitation in supporting it.”
Cllr Marian Fairley said: “I would really want to push for a really regular communication between residents and the home to ensure that any concerns are immediately addressed, and misconceptions are addressed.”
Others said they were impressed by the site, and the plan was passed by a unanimous vote.