Plans for permanent homeless shelter in Wrexham recommended for approval

Councillors are recommended to approve plans to allow continued use of a Wrexham building as a homeless shelter.

The application, by Wrexham Council, we be put before the planning committee next week.

The plans are for a building on Chester Road, near the centre of Wrexham, which has 16 single occupancy en-suite rooms and a communal lounge, dining room and cooking facilities.

The building is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide support and guidance to individuals and ultimately assist them into permanent accommodation, according to a report, which adds that the building has provided temporary accommodation for homeless people since January 2021.

It benefitted from temporary permitted development rights introduced by the Welsh Government in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, however due to the time limited nature of this, planning permission has been sought to permanently change the use to a permanent homeless shelter.

This has been sought on two previous occasions and both times members imposed a condition limiting the permission to a 12 month period.

This was to allow the impact of the use on the amenities of nearby properties and in respect of crime and anti-social behaviour in the vicinity to be monitored.

Local member Cllr Corin Jarvis raises no objections to the plans and added “the management of the home have done everything they can to mitigate the impact on surrounding residents”. She also considered that “all measures remain in place” regarding residents’ meetings and staffing levels according to the report.

Cllr Becca Martin had said that there were “some issues” in the beginning but the work done by the team “needs to be recognised”.

She also added that the model “should be rolled out” across the country.

The report also said that there are “still concerns” from neighbouring residents regarding “who is placed” and about antisocial behaviours, but that there were also comments about the Housing Team’s work to implement measures to avoid this and residents “would wish to see this continued”.

The council received seven representations objecting to the application based on concerns including the building not being suitable to house homeless people, and consideration for the long term affect on the local community.

They also received one representation in support, “due to a cost of living crisis and homelessness crisis there is a need for more places for the homeless “and that “measures can be put in place to address previous concerns.”

The report concluded: “It is considered that the permanent use of the site as a homeless facility would not give rise to undue adverse impacts in respect of the character or appearance of the local area, residential amenity, highway safety or public safety.”

The plans will be discussed on Monday, January 8.

By Emily Ash – BBC Local Democracy Reporter