A PUBLIC exhibition to explain plans for a controversial new children's home in Watford will be held next month.

It will give residents the chance to view information and ask questions on what Hertfordshire County Council is calling an "adolescent research centre" to be built on the site of the former Alban Wood Junior School in Newhouse Crescent.

Although the council has already submitted outline planning applications for the new home, it has extended the consultation period to allow time for people to attend the sessions before submitting their comments. Officers will be available to answer questions about the project, which is being funded by money from the Department of Health's private finance initiative.

A consultation is also being held over plans for a six-place disability resource centre at Shenley Park, near Radlett.

The applications will be heard by the council's development control committee on Monday, October 31, at 10am, in the council chamber at County Hall, Hertford.

The meeting is open to the members of the public. Jane Pitman, executive member for children's services, said: "These new homes are badly needed to provide updated, family-style accommodation for children who are being looked after, often through no fault of their own, by the county council.

"We are planning to build eight new children's homes across the county.

"Six will replace and improve existing homes, which are no longer suitable for modern standards of care, and two will be completely new.

"The children's services operate on a county-wide basis and all the sites have been chosen for their accessibility to road and rail links."

Plans for Alban Wood Junior School can be viewed on Thursday, September 8, between 3pm and 8pm, at Alban Wood Junior School, Newhouse Crescent, Watford. The Shenley Park application can be viewed on Wednesday, September 7, between 3pm and 8pm, at Shenley Village Hall, 108 London Road, Shenley .