New Accommodation For The Homeless Of Liverpool

Almost 100 new one-bed units are to be created to help support those across Liverpool facing homelessness, reports the Liverpool Echo.

With more people across the city year on year having to countenance the possibility of rough sleeping, efforts are being made to stem the flow of those being forced onto the streets. The local authority announced last month it will continue to operate its rough sleeping hub throughout the summer months. Now a new planning application has been lodged with the city council’s planning department to turn a hotel and student accommodation site on the edge of town into a supported living facility to provide temporary lodgings for those in needs.

YMCA Together, which has been appointed by Liverpool Council to help address homelessness and move people out of hotel and B&B accommodation, has applied to transform Pembroke Studios on Lower Gill Street into 94 self-contained apartments. The site is a six-storey development which was completed around 2018. It features ground floor commercial space plus three storeys of student accommodation and two storeys of aparthotel rooms. The facing materials consist of brick at street level whilst the upper floors are finished in vertical cladding panels.

The supported accommodation would provide temporary housing for a period of three to six months for people with a history of homelessness requiring low to medium levels of support from a team of between 10 to 12 specialist workers available over the course of 24 hours. All residents would agree to a licence agreement that sets out boundaries and expectations on behaviour. Breaches of the agreement could result in residents losing their accommodation. According to a planning report to be considered by city councillors for approval next week, the proposed change of use requires only very minimal physical changes to the building with the installation of an intercom.

The accommodation would change the existing rooms into 94 self-contained apartments with private bathrooms and integrated kitchen facilities and will be offered on a short-term basis to help people transition to independent living. A management plan put forward by YMCA Together advises that the proposal would comply with the council draft housing strategy that seeks to provide better quality short-term housing options and minimise the use of hotels and B&B accommodation.

Some concerns have been raised about the development however, by the Fabric District community interest company (CIC). In its representation, the group cites the location of another supported living facility within the Fabric District which it claims is having a “significant detrimental impact” on the area. The report said: “The CIC is of the view that all supported living schemes should be carefully considered to ensure sustainable communities which has not been demonstrated within the application. However, the Fabric District CIC does support the application subject to the applicant undertaking a consultation exercise within the area prior to determination of the application and the use being controlled beyond the commissioned period.”