Temporary homeless shelter to be renewed for another five years
The emergency accommodation originally opened in December 2023 however the council have decided to extend the shelter as a result of extreme use.
When the building opened on Symonds Street, Herefordshire Council claimed it received ‘extensive’ use and have now applied for permission for the establishment to remain open until 2029. The local authorities planning committee unanimously approved the plan yesterday. They have also warned a long-term solution is needed.
Since it opened the shelter has been run by the charity Caring for Communities and People (CCP) on the council’s behalf. The building is not open year-round, and it was due to close at the end of March but was extended until the end of June.
Going forward, the shelter is set to provide 16 beds for homeless people and at least two wardens will remain on site overnight.
Cllr Mark Woodall, who was formerly involved in homeless provision organised by churches in the area, said at a council meeting: ‘It’s not just getting your head down for the night. A night shelter is invaluable for people – it provides bathrooms, it provides a kitchen, and it provides somewhere for them to get some advice and some help as well.’
However, Cllr Woodall has claimed that whilst this shelter is good for the time being, the council need a more permanent solution.
‘We’ll keep rolling over, and that mobile unit will keep falling apart,’ he said.
At the meeting Cllr Woodall supported a suggestion from local resident Mark Lane who claimed the council should only extend the shelter’s use until 2026 as a way of motivating the local authority to provide a more stable fixture.
However, it currently remains unclear whether the council have any plans to implement a permanent solution.
Image: FRANCESCO TOMMASINI
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