A PLAN to build a new homeless shelter in the city has been thrown out by a government inspector.

The work to convert the student halls, known as Court Mews, in Worcester’s Farrier Street into a 48-bed homeless shelter was thrown out by the city council’s planning committee last year over anti-social behaviour and safeguarding fears.

The government’s planning inspector could have overturned the decision but ruled the work should not go ahead over “serious concerns” about security and how the shelter would be managed.  

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A report by the planning inspector said: “I have found that the proposal would provide satisfactory living conditions for its occupiers, subject to ensuring that individuals occupying the appeal property do so on a temporary basis.

“Also, the proposal would not undermine the effectiveness of the planned regeneration works.

“Nonetheless, I have found that the proposal does not adequately address concerns about managing the fear of anti-social behaviour and crime.

“For this reason, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.”

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Worcester City Council’s planning committee rejected the plan in 2021 saying the building was ‘in the wrong place’ to be used as a homeless shelter.

Councillors also ruled it would be inappropriate to build the shelter in the city centre next to a number of restaurants and nightclubs.

Several independent businesses who helped revitalise the neglected area of the city centre said they feared their hard work would be ruined by building a homeless refuge on their doorstep when the plan was first put forward last year.

The shelter’s ‘lacklustre’ management plan was also criticised by neighbouring business owners who said it was in complete contrast to other established city facilities such as St Pauls Hostel which accommodates a similar number of homeless people but employees 15 staff and has 11 trustees rather than just one security guard in the evening and an off-site manager.

The city’s historic railway Arches have been going through a multi-million-pound transformation in the last few years to build a new cultural and creative hub as well as create new links between Worcester Foregate Street and the River Severn.