Wrexham night shelter could be demolished to make way for 19 apartments for homeless people

A night shelter in Wrexham could be demolished to make way for 19 apartments for homeless people.

The Welsh Government made £2.2m available to create a homeless triage and support centre to replace the existing Tŷ Nos night shelter on Holt Road earlier this year.

It was previously revealed that Clwyd Alyn Housing Association would buy the site from Wrexham Council so it can run the facility, which will include self-contained accommodation.

The housing association has now formally submitted plans in order to move the project forward.

Documents entered to the local authority’s planning department show it will include three blocks of apartments centred around a courtyard, along with offices for support staff.

In a statement, architects acting on Clwyd Alyn’s behalf said: “There is an urgent identifiable need for affordable homes for people who are designated as being homeless in Wrexham, some already residing in Ty Nos but this arrangement is far from ideal.

“The application site was identified by the council who have entered into an arrangement with Clwyd Alyn Housing Association and discussions have taken place with the local authority to explore and expand the potential of the current Ty Nos facility due to its central and sustainable location.

“The development is planned to replace the existing outmoded building and temporary cabin shelters.

“The expected residents of this development will be people who are relatively active and independent but have found difficulty finding suitable living accommodation in Wrexham and need shelter and support to rebuild their lives and to live in safe and secure accommodation.

“The proposals seek to make best use of the site in the context of the setting while creating the most flexible, accessible and inclusive living environment for the residents.”

The amount of people presenting as homeless to the council has increased significantly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March last year.

Figures released in December showed a total of 505 people had sought assistance, around a fifth of whom had recently been released from prison.

Officers have drawn up a range of plans to address the issue, including the creation of the new homeless centre and buying the former Grove Guest House on Chester Road to use as temporary homeless accommodation.

A decision is expected to be made on the application at a later date.

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter