A WORCESTER housing association has been given planning permission to change a former city centre pub into a homeless hostel.

The Toby’s Tavern pub building in Sansome Street, Worcester, will be capable of housing up to 19 people.

The building was bought last year by Worcester businessman Graham Lock, who donated the property to Worcester Community Housing.

Services at the new centre will be run by St Paul’s Hostel and Maggs Day Centre and will include a night assessment centre (NAC), Maggs outreach and support service and the Worcestershire homeless outreach service.

The development will also involve provision of internal and external CCTV, replacement of existing windows and rendering of the single-story section of the property.

Residents and businesses from the Hopmarket had already voiced their concerns over the plans and staged a protest earlier this year.

At a Worcester City Council planning meeting, Hopmarket resident Victor Chivers made representations on behalf of residents and businesses.

Mr Chivers said: “There is a misconception that people in the Hopmarket are anti-Maggs. We all pay our council tax and service charges, some of which go to the Hopmarket’s charities – including Maggs.

“My own view is that the head of urban environment makes very light of our concerns. Such an establishment will be det-rimental to the anxiety of local residents and businesses.”

Mr Chivers said the area will see an increase in violence, drug-taking and anti-social behaviour and could easily turn into an “urban ghetto” resulting in fewer customers visiting the businesses in the Hopmarket.

He said how the building could be put to other uses such as a hotel, tourist information centre or a student annex.

Councillor Roger Berry highlighted how the police had not raised any concerns or objections to the project, which Mr Chivers labelled as “staggering”.

Chris Ashcroft, chief executive at St Paul’s Hostel, said at the meeting: “Toby’s Tavern is perfect. This service needs to be in the city centre.

“Many homeless people have issues with mental health and drugs. These problems can be exaggerated by the fact they are homeless.

“The hostel will be proactively working to minimise anti-social behaviour, not providing a platform for it.”

The planning committee voted nine in favour and one against.