A CHILDREN’S home for troubled boys is set to be rebuilt at a cost of £1.4m.

Oxfordshire County Council has pledged to rebuild Thornbury House in Kidlington.

The new building will be built on land next to the existing home in The Moors, which dates back to 1963. The old home will be demolished when the new one is complete.

Thornbury House provides residential care for up to five boys aged 12-17 years and “aims to provide a safe environment where young people can be supported to return to live within a family or an alternative community setting”.

It is the county council’s only children’s home for boys.

The new accommodation will include eight single bedrooms –– six for residents, two for staff.

Simon Brown, service manager for placement at the county council, said the present home was outmoded and inappropriate for nurturing young people in the 21st century.

He said: “It’s not a very homely place to be. In the 1960s it used to look after 34 boys and at one point it had 30ft fences around it.

“It’s nearly 50 years old. Over the years, the type of care we offer has changed and we need a home which reflects the way we work with children now.”

Mr Brown said Thornbury House looked after “troubled” teenagers.

He added: “It’s usually young lads who can’t live with their parents any more because of family breakdown and a foster home is not appropriate, or young people who are moving towards independence.

“We’ve got a 17-year-old at the moment who is about to move into his own accommodation.”

Commenting about the new plans, he added: “It’s fantastic news. The lads at Thornbury House at the moment have been involved in the design of the building and have pushed forward ideas like solar panels and recycling rainwater. We are going to run a video diary of the development.”

Janet Tomlinson, director for children, young people and families, said: “This is great news.

“The new building will provide a much more suitable environment for the young people living at the home, with modern facilities in a non-institutional setting.”

Work on the new children’s home will begin in September, if the county council secures planning permission.