A COUNCIL is to press ahead with buying a home for supported accommodation for teenagers in a town where legal restrictions thwarted an earlier proposal.

A previously agreed plan to buy a four-bedroom home in Monmouth to provide supported accommodation for three young people aged 16 plus and leaving care collapsed when it was discovered the house and wider housing estate was subject to a restrictive covenant.

As a result Monmouthshire County Council began a search for a second property which it could use to provide the supported accommodation but discovered that it, and five neighbouring homes, are also subject to a legal restriction. Despite this it is still intended to purchase the house for an undisclosed sum.

The covenant specifies not to use any building or “any part thereof for any purpose other than that of a private or professional residence”. But the council intends to make the purchase as it said the restriction “differs in scope and impact” to the one attached to the first home.

The council also sought independent legal advice from King’s Counsel which confirmed if its use as supported accommodation faced a legal challenge “there is a credible risk that the proposed use could be deemed a breach of the covenant, albeit that the council has a reasonable argument to the contrary.”

Despite this however Councillor Ian Chandler, who presented the report, said it had been agreed to recommend the Labour/Green Party cabinet approve making the purchase: “The benefits to young people and the council outweigh the risks identified.”

To avoid the risk of a potential challenge to the use of the house the council intends taking out indemnity insurance to cover legal costs in the event of any future challenge or enforcement action.

The cabinet report also said the council’s wider property search has found “a significant proportion of potential properties within the local area are subject to some level of restrictive covenant”.

It added: “Such restrictions are relatively common across the local housing market and present an ongoing challenge in identifying properties that are entirely free from constraint. As a result, each potential option requires careful legal consideration to understand the risk, likelihood of enforcement, and any appropriate mitigation measures before progressing.”

The council opened its first supported accommodation for care leavers, in Caldicot, in late 2024 with support provided by an external provider. Cllr Chandler said it has been successful with two young people having moved on to accommodation with a lower level of support and there had been no complaints from neighbours.

Cllr Chandler said the council had engaged with neighbours before opening the accommodation and said: “That is something we’d look to replicate in Monmouth.”

The cabinet agreed to acquire and refurbish the property using a Welsh Government Housing with Care Fund grant and if that doesn’t meet the full costs it can use up to £2 million borrowing headroom previously agreed by the council. It will also enter a contract with an external provider to provide the support at the property.