A former care home that was then used as accommodation for Worcester Warriors rugby players will now provide much-needed help for the city’s homeless.

Worcester City Council has approved retrospective plans to allow the new 15-bed house of multiple occupation (HMO) in Bath Road, Worcester to remain despite the work already being carried out without permission.

The building had been used as a 14-bed HMO since November 2022 before the application was later changed after another bedroom was converted from an old storage and laundry room.

The building was previously Westwood Care Home which closed in 2014.

The care home was used by Worcestershire County Council until 2012 after its contract was terminated following concerns over welfare.

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The home remained open despite the council terminating its contract and moving out its residents following “quality and care issues” and was inspected several times by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) before shutting down.

Inspectors said they had moderate concerns about care and the welfare of people who use the home, and that records were not being kept up to date, but at the time the owners hit back by insisting they were wrong.

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As part of the decision, one of the council’s housing officers Daniel Russell said the building had most recently been used as temporary accommodation for homeless people and families.

“The council has been working in partnership with the owner to utilise this property as temporary accommodation for homeless applicants seeking housing within Worcester,” he said.

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“The council has been progressing a corporate project to boost both the quality and choice of temporary accommodation within the city.

“The aim of this project is to reduce over-reliance on spot-purchased B&B and tourist hotels and create a supply of units within the city.

“[The building] has been recently opened as temporary accommodation provision and provides 14 much-needed rooms within the property, which can provide flexible accommodation from singles to families.

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“The owner is operating and managing the premises and receiving nominations of applicants from the city under current arrangements.

“The additional bedroom will provide another much-needed room of temporary accommodation when such accommodation is much needed due to the lack of supply of housing within the city.”