Hostel plan for women and children supported
Last updated 12:46, Tuesday, 01 July 2008
Controversial proposals to build a hostel for homeless women and children next to Carlisle’s homeless men’s hostel appear to be going ahead.
The city council’s executive backed the £3.89m scheme yesterday despite concerns that women and children might be at risk.
The hostel, to be built on a car park next to the John Street men’s hostel, will house up to 22 women in eight self-contained flats.
Liberal Democrat councillor Kimberley Hunter, who represents the area, argues that the location is “totally inappropriate”.
She says many of the residents of the men’s hostel are drug and alcohol and abusers and should not be near vulnerable women and children.
But the council’s development director, Catherine Elliot, said the hostel was in the right place.
She told the executive: “There have been discussions and officers feel the risks have been managed and minimised.”
Mrs Elliot presented a report, which stressed that the two hostels would have separate secure entrances.
The families’ hostel would also have safe and secure play facilities for children.
She added: “There is a very tight timescale to get government funding and get a planning application [approved].”
The government has agreed to meet half the cost through a £1.89m grant under its Places for Change programme. But the funding bid must be submitted by the end of July.
The plans now go forward to the full council for approval on July 15.
Council officials will meet Shaddongate Residents’ Association on Friday to discuss outstanding concerns.
The hostel will be discussed at a neighbourhood forum meeting on July 16.
The hostel will replace the existing families’ hostel in London Road.
has this person catherine worked whith vunrebal people if she had no amount of security will stop sex ofenders geting to the childreen,
who will be living in the hostl the wemon and childreen are very vonrebal people some will be esly invold with the males from the mens hostel as the wemon who are in the refuge will have been eskaping domestic violen to protect there childreen is it fare to put them back in the same situation. She needs to spend time in thes hostels.
View all comments on this article
property
jobs
date
Have your say
Decisions such as this should not be driven by the need to access government cash (or by timescales for planning applications). The only criteria is to get the decision right one that provides comfort and support both within the scheme and the immediate environs. I believe the proposed location is totally unsuitable and inappropriate for reasons that have been stated by others valid comments. There are many vacant builing sites which are owned by the Council within existing estates where vulnerable woman and children can be safely supported and cared for.
This decision needs to be revisited and given sensitive consideration
Posted by des barolles on 24 July 2008 kl. 21:27