Plan for £6m homeless shelter in Hillfields

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Plans are being drawn up for a £6million shelter for homeless people in Coventry.



Whitefriars Housing bosses have identified existing industrial units in Adelaide Street, Hillfields, for the development.

The housing group wants to find out what people think of the location before submitting a planning application to Coventry City Council.

The proposal will go on display at City College, Coventry later this month so that people can give their views.

Work on the residential, training and support centre for homeless people starts in 2013, subject to planning permission. A £2million grant from the government’s Homes and Communities Agency has already been awarded.

The 60-room centre is planned to be a modern glass-fronted building with up-to-date facilities.

Residents would be provided with enhanced support services from Whitefriars and other organisations to promote training, life and vocational skills to prepare residents for employment and a move to permanent accommodation.

Rachel Hobbs, director of housing services at WM Housing, which Whitefriars Housing is part of, said: “We are excited about our plans.

“The centre will not only represent a £6million investment in Coventry at a time of economic uncertainty, but most importantly, we will be able to help vulnerable people to make positive life changes, hopefully resulting in them moving into work and a settled home.

“We have selected this location because it is near to the city centre, where our residents will have easy access to Coventry’s support services.

“Whitefriars Housing has invested £12.1million to regenerate the St Michael’s ward over the last 10 years. Projects have included demolishing high rise blocks, refurbishing remaining blocks, and working with the council to release land for the City College site.”

The plans will go on display at City College Coventry in Swanswell Street, Hillfields, on Thursday, October 18 from 2pm–7pm.

All local residents are invited to attend the drop-in event where staff will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the proposal.

The plan is to bulldoze the rented units in Adelaide Street.

They are currently occupied by a car wash, a distribution base, Sahal community centre and a community safety scheme.

Whitefriars owns 18,000 flats and houses in Coventry, many of them former council homes.

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Residents angry over plans for homeless shelter in Hillfields



ANGER has erupted in an area of Coventry earmarked as the potential site for a new homeless shelter.

Residents and community leaders have vowed to strongly oppose plans to build a £6million centre in Hillfields.

As the Coventry Telegraph reported last week, Whitefriars Housing Group is planning the scheme and bosses have earmarked an industrial area in Adelaide Street for the 60-room hostel with support services, training, life and vocational skills to help residents into employment and permanent accommodation.

Whitefriars is seeking the views of the public before they submit an application to Coventry City Council.

But Hillfields residents are warning it would spell bad news for the community.

Fatima Mangera, aged 42, of Harnall Lane, said: “There’s already a lot of anti-social behaviour and drinking around here and it would be opposite a nursery with a primary school, Sidney Stringer Academy and City College all nearby.”

Heather Parker, aged 51, of Stoney Stanton Road, said: “I’m not against the homeless centre, just the location. Hillfields is already overloaded with centres like this.”

Muhammad Khan, aged 49, of Stockton Road, added: “Whitefriars should look elsewhere, find a better location.”

Farid Noor, chairman of Hillfields Watch community group, is urging everyone to object to the scheme.

He said: “Over the last few years Hillfields has become a dumping ground for what no-one else in the city wants.

“For so long the people of Hillfields have been quiet and inactive on the political scene and there’s been the assumption we won’t blink an eyelid to plans they wouldn’t dream of for elsewhere in the city, but not anymore.

“I feel very upset that something like this has been proposed for Hillfields.

“It’s just not feasible and will be a recipe for more problems in the area.”

If given the go-ahead by the city council, the development would see the demolition of four rented units currently occupied by a car wash, a distribution base, Sahal community centre and a community safety scheme.

Councillor Jim O’Boyle (Lab, St Michael’s) met concerned locals at the proposed site with fellow Labour councillors for St Michael’s – Coun Naeem Akhtar and Coun David Welsh.

Coun O’Boyle said: “Who do Whitefriars think they are?

“Hillfields isn’t their chiefdom, their Downton Abbey, for them to do with what they want.’’

Jim Cunningham MP (Lab, Coventry South), who was also present, said he would demand a meeting with Whitefriars officials and added: “This site is utterly inappropriate.”

Whitefriars officials urge anyone with concerns to raise their opinions when the plans go on display at City College Coventry in Swanswell Street on Thursday, October 18, from 2pm–7pm.

Dave Hider, director of housing strategy at WM Housing Group, said: “We have undertaken a lot of research and we believe that Hillfields is the right place for this centre.

“Ultimately, however, we need to know what local people think.’’

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Whitefriars bosses forced into rethink over plans for homeless hostel

HOUSING association bosses have been forced into a rethink over plans for a controversial homeless hostel ay Hillfields, Coventry.

Whitefriars Housing officials have gone back to the drawing board over a £6million sheltered housing centre for the homeless in response to a backlash over the planned location.

Whitefriars had earmarked a site in Adelaide Street for the 63-bedroom centre which would feature support services to prepare residents for employment and a move to permanent accommodation in Hillfields.

The news sparked anger from local residents who argued the location was inappropriate.

Labour councillors Jim O’Boyle and Naeem Akhtar, who represent the St Michael’s ward which covers Hillfields, held a meeting with Jim Cunningham MP and Whitefriars bosses last week to propose an alternative site closer to the city centre which they said the owners are prepared to sell for the development.

Coun O’Boyle said: “We want to do the right thing by residents but also by the potential users of the new hostel.

“The current location is wrong, with a children’s centre, people’s homes and housing for our older citizen’s right next to the proposed site.”

Coun Akhtar added: “I also pointed out that their consultation had been poor and it needed to improve.

“They agreed with that and promised to listen and respond to all concerned residents.”

The scheme had reached the public consultation stage and was due to be submitted to Coventry City Council next month.

Mr Cunningham said: “Whitefriars are proposing to spend £6million of taxpayers’ money on this project.

“They have a duty to spend it wisely and carefully and we will hold them to account. They also have a duty to local people which they need to fulfill.

“At the moment they are failing to do that. Let us hope we can get them to do the right thing.”

Dave Hider, director of housing strategy at WM Housing Group, which Whitefriars is part of, said of the proposal: “We are committed to finding the most appropriate location, so we are now looking into the suitability of the site and will report our findings back to them.”

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Whitefriars bosses reject alternative homeless hostel site

HOUSING group bosses have rejected a proposal for an alternative site for a new homeless hostel in Coventry.

The public consultation has ended for a £6million homeless shelter in Hillfields. The plan sparked an angry backlash from residents and community leaders who argued the Adelaide Street location was inappropriate due to its proximity to a children’s centre and homes.

As the Telegraph reported earlier this month, Jim Cunningham MP and Labour councillors for the area have put forward an alternative site for the Whitefriars 63-bedroom facility which they believed was more suitable because it was closer to the city centre.

But their suggestion has now been discounted, and Whitefriars is preparing to submit the plans to the council for potential planning permission.

Kevin Willetts, executive director of development at WM Housing Group, which Whitefriars is part of, said: “We looked into the proposed location, but unfortunately the site was far too large and the owners were not willing to parcel of a section of the land ahead of wider disposal.

“We met with Councillor O’Boyle, Councillor Akhtar and Jim Cunningham MP again to inform them of our findings and our decision.

“This process has helped to confirm to us that, after months of research, this location is the best available place for our planned homeless facility. Should this go ahead we will plough £3.9m of our own money into this project, bringing our investment in Hillfields up to around £18m since 2001.

“As well as providing an opportunity for local people to move off the streets, if we get the green light to build, we would contribute to the local community including a number of communal areas within the building for the benefit of local groups.

“We would also guarantee local employment and employment assistance opportunities. In addition we would introduce a scheme to provide funding for local good causes. Thank you to everyone who has engaged with us on this project.”

But Coun Jim O’Boyle vowed to continue putting pressure on Whitefriars.

He said: “We still think their proposal isn’t the best site. If they push ahead we will be looking for recompense for residents for the build and when it opens.”

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Public meeting on plans for controversial homeless centre

A PUBLIC meeting is to be held over controversial plans for a new multi-million pound homeless hostel in Coventry.

The 6million scheme by Whitefriars Housing Group for a 63-bedroom centre for the homeless, to be built in Hillfields, has been met with widespread opposition.

Residents and community leaders say the centre's location would be inappropriate due to its proximity to a children's centre and homes.

Councillors have scheduled their own consultation event into the scheme next week amid claims Whitefriars' own public information has been inadequate.

The meeting takes place with the three Labour councillors for the St Michael's ward; Coun Jim O'Boyle, Coun Naeem Akhtar and Coun David Welsh, at St Peter's Church, in Charles Street, on Tuesday at 6pm.

The news comes after Whitefriars officials rejected the councillors' suggestion for an alternative location for the centre. Whitefriars officials said the alternative site was too large and confirmed they would be pressing ahead with their original plan.

Coun Jim O'Boyle, who will be chairing the meeting, said the council's director for children's services Colin Green will also be there because he has concerns about the homeless centre's proximity to local schools.

He said: "A petition signed by hundreds of people is doing the rounds.

"The meeting is an opportunity for members of the public to attend, have their say and put their questions to Whitefriars."

The planning application for the existing proposal is due to be submitted to Coventry City Council.

If it gets the go-ahead, construction on the project will begin next year.

Whitefriars Housing Group had staged a one-day public consultation event, at City College Coventry, in October where the plans went on display.

But Coun O'Boyle said it was not enough to gauge reaction across the community.

He said: "There's much more to a public consultation. Whitefriars would like to think it's a done deal but it's not. Even when the planning application goes to planning, there has to be a public consultation for that."

Dave Hider, director of housing strategy at WM Housing Group, of which Whitefriars is part, said: "We have been working with local councillors at their request to set up a public meeting, to be held next week.

"We will be attending to explain the reasons behind our proposals and to hear the views from councillors and the public. We look forward to an open discussion and getting feedback from local residents and other interested people."

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Hillfields homeless centre gets planning permission

PLANS for a new £6million homeless centre in Hillfields have been given the go ahead.

The city council's planning committee approved plans for the 63-room centre in Adelaide Street on Thursday.

Building work will start in the summer and will take around a year, Whitefriars Housing Association has confirmed.

The association also said it intended employ local people and hire apprentices who live in Hillfields to work on the project.

Efforts led by ward councillor Jim O'Boyle to block the centre from being built in Adelaide Street failed with the association rejecting claims it was not the best location.

Pat Brandum, chief executive of WM Housing Group, which Whitefriars is part of, said: "When we consulted with residents we found the vast majority believe there is a need for a new homeless facility in Coventry.

"We recognise some people are concerned about the location in Hillfields. We have listened and we will continue to listen to their worries, and we will use people’s opinions to help us shape our plans."

She added: "We are delighted the council has given us permission to develop a homeless centre of excellence and are convinced this is the right decision for the city as it will allow us to improve vulnerable people’s lives while serving the local community."

The centre will provide support services from Whitefriars and other organisations to prepare homeless people learn new skills and find jobs.

It is being part-funded by a £2.1m grant from the government’s Homes and Communities Agency.