CONTENTIOUS plans to open a homeless hostel in a quiet residential street have moved a step forward.

People living in Red Hill, off London Road, Worcester, are wary of the proposals to turn Milverton at 49 Cannon Street into a shared house for homeless people aged 16 to 25.

They claim they are not being fully informed and, now that Rooftop Housing has purchased the property, are growing increasingly worried that their voices are not being heard.

During a public meeting in January – which was called because Worcester City Council had pledged £30,000 to the scheme before consulting residents – Councillor Francis Lancaster, cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, said there would be seven people living at the accommodation.

Both Rooftop Housing and the city council have now said that the finer details have not yet been decided.

Nina Warrington, housing services manager at the council, said: “It’s all being discussed, from the number of young people and what kind of supervision there will be. It has all got to be decided. If we had the information we would share it.”

Tracey Copeland, who lives in nearby Cromwell Cres-cent, remains unconvinced.

“How can they not know any details when they’ve already secured funding and arranged the service provid-er,” she said.

“I accept that it’s not all tied down, but I do not accept that they can’t give us any detail. That’s just unrealistic.”

In an open letter to John Wrightson, the council’s head of urban environment, campaigners voiced further concern that a recent change in planning law will make it easier for the owners of Milverton to use the building for other purposes – not just housing the young homeless.

In it they said: “Is this as concerning as it appears? Once classified as an HMO [House for Multiple Occu-pation] could the property really be put to any use by Rooftop or, indeed, any subsequent owner?

“We are very surprised that this change in law, and its implications, was not made public at our recent local residents’ meeting.”

David Hannon, development director at Rooftop Housing Group, said things are “progressing as plan-ned”. He said: “We have purchased the property, as was always our intention, and we are continuing to work with our partner at the city council to progress this much-needed facility.

“As soon as we have firm details to share with local residents we will hold a community consultation event as we have always promised."

A public information meeting will take place at the end of May when the full plan will be published.

Planning applications are due to be submitted after that.