Anger at plan to house homeless in quiet street (From Worcester News)

Anger at plan to house homeless in quiet street

11:50am Friday 22nd January 2010 in

By Lauren Rogers » @laurenrogersWN #WENews

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RESIDENTS are upset and angry over council plans to open a homeless hostel for young people in their quiet residential street.

Plans to transform 49 Cannon Street, off London Road, Worcester, into a seven-bed house for homeless people aged 16 to 25 were approved by Worcester City Council cabinet last month.

The article in your Worcester News reported how the council had pledged to contribute £30,000 to the scheme. However, the newspaper story was the first people living nearby had heard of the plans.

More than 100 people turned up to a public meeting on Wednesday night to voice concerns about the project and the way it had moved forward.

They were angry that there had been no public consultation before the cabinet meeting, expressed fears over the kind of young people who would move in, the effect it would have on young children living in the area, and what would happen if there were problems.

In an attempt to allay concerns Councillor Francis Lancaster, cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, said the young homeless people living at the so-called ‘Move On’ accommodation, a shared house designed for those working towards independent living, would be carefully screened.

He said: “This project is for seven young peope to live together. Nobody who has trouble with drugs, alcohol or a record of bad behaviour will be part of the project. That kind of person is dealt with at intensely supported accomodation, places like the YMCA, and in other parts of the county.”

But, when challenged, James Wadlow from Stonham – the housing provider that will run the project – was unable to say who would be housed there.

Both he and a spokesman for Rooftop Housing – the housing association currently in the process of buying the property – said the project was still in the very early stages.

There was also confusion over whether the scheme needed planning consent.

Councillor Robert Rowden, chairman of the council’s planning committee, said it would undoubtedly come before members. But when it was pointed out that the council agenda from Wednesday, December 9, stated there was “no planning implications” he told residents they had misinterpreted the meaning of that statement.

Speaking after the meeting, organiser Tracey Copeland, of nearby Cromwell Crescent, said many interesting points had been raised but residents wanted more clarity.

She said: “It smacks of being every so slightly underhand. In some ways it was a very unsatisfactory meeting because there seemed to be a lot of fudging and people passing the buck, but it was good that these people attended to face questions. There are still a lot of unanswered questions.”

Residents are seeking to get the item back before cabinet for discussion.

Mrs Copeland said: “We weren’t able to give our representations at the cabinet meeting. If we can get it back on the agenda for the next meeting we can.”

Comments(19)

jovialcommonsense says...
12:02pm Fri 22 Jan 10

Surely if this house is for the homeless they won't be homeless anymore, so the home won't be a home for the homeless.:)

It sounds very much like the many homes around the city which have been converted to house students.
NIMBYs come to mind.
I await the residents (and others) of Cannon Street to open fire at me:)