Help for rough sleepers moves forward

Moves to end rough sleeping in Newcastle before 2026 are moving forward.
Authorisation for work to begin converting a building close to the town centre into a ‘homeless hub’ is ready for approval by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
Work will convert former offices at Stubbs Gate to provide safe, secure emergency accommodation for rough sleepers.
Gill Heesom, Newcastle-under-Lyme Bough Council’s Cabinet member for Community Safety and Wellbeing, said:
This building will only be used to help people sleeping rough so that they don’t experience a second night on the streets.
As well as offering them a safe place for the night, and emergency accommodation in severe weather, there will be practical help ranging from showers and a place to wash clothes.
We want to help people to have a roof over their heads, so we will use the hub as a place where we can put them in touch with different services, housing associations, the Department for Work and Pensions, financial advice and so on.
And then once people have an address it makes it easier for them to receive help from different bodies and organisations, setting them on a path to accessing opportunities.”
Planning permission for the adaptation of the building, to be known as Navigation House, was granted for 12 months, with a review of its impact to be carried out after it has operated for a year.
If approved, building work will begin in the spring, using money from a successful bid by the council for Shared Prosperity Fund.
Gill Heesom added:
We know from work that we already do in the community that one of the advantages of the Hub will be that it allows us to offer help to rough sleepers without the need for an appointment, which can be one of the things that deters some from asking for help.
As well as helping vulnerable members of our community in a moment of need, this changes the perception of what’s happening in our town centre and makes it less intimidating to some.”
Targeting rough sleeping is also shown to reduce pressure on police, ambulance and hospital services, while also reducing demand for emergency bed and breakfast accommodation, which in turn saves public money.
Help for rough sleepers moves forward – Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council