New supported accommodation to open to combat homelessness

Cheshire West and Chester Council has confirmed that new supported accommodation for people who are homeless will open in Saltney, Chester in November.

Curzon House in Saltney has been refurbished and will provide 36 private rooms, where people who have been homeless and are in need of supported accommodation will have a place to stay until they can find a new home.

The building is owned by the Council and was previously used as a residential and respite home. The refurbishment works will be complete in early November and the building is due to open in the same month.

The Council has appointed Forum Housing to manage the accommodation on its behalf. Forum Housing will provide individual support to the people living there to help them move on to permanent homes and live independently. Most residents are expected to stay at the scheme for around six months before finding a new home.

There will be staff on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They will provide specialist support with housing, employment, health and personal finance so that the residents can move on with their lives.

The Council consulted with neighbours, stakeholders and local ward councillors during 2022 and 2023 about the plans, and a letter from the Council has been sent to local residents and businesses to update them on the November opening.

In response to the number of people approaching our housing services with support needs, the Council is developing more supported housing such as at Curzon House in line with its current programme, which will continue over the next 12-18 months. The increase in supported housing means the Council will have fewer people in hotels with support needs and moving on through supported housing will be quicker for those people that require it.

The Council’s approach to homelessness is that prevention is better than cure. The Council works in partnership with various third sector organisations with the aim to intervene before someone becomes homeless. The Council’s Housing Options team also has multiple tools that they can use to assist people to resolve their situation, working with anyone at risk of becoming homeless within the next 56 days with the aim of stopping each person from losing their home, giving advice on housing options and involving other agencies who can help. The Housing Options telephone line is free on 0808 175 3595 Monday to Friday up until 4:30pm. If somebody is homeless out of normal office hours and needs accommodation, they can ring the Out of Hours number on 0300 123 7035.

Cllr Christine Warner, Cabinet Member for Homes, Planning and Safer Communities, said:

“As a Council we believe that nobody in our Borough should be forced to sleep rough and become homeless. People sleeping either on the streets or spending prolonged periods of time confined to a single room in a hotel is not an adequate response for people in difficult circumstances, and not one that we would want for our family or friends. That’s why we’re using accommodation like this so that we can continue to help vulnerable members of our community who are at risk of homelessness. Curzon House can provide people with the right support and suitable, supported accommodation while they seek a more permanent long-term home.

“We know that this is a subject that matters deeply to lots of people in Chester. Homes like this make a massive difference to people’s lives and are an important part of our community. They keep people away from life on the streets and in the current climate, where more people are struggling to deal with the cost of living, they are more important than ever.”

More information on the Council’s approach to supported accommodation can be found on the Council website:

Supported housing scheme | Cheshire West and Chester Council

For more information, advice and support on homelessness or helping someone in need, please visit:

Homelessness | Cheshire West and Chester Council

If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness and you need assistance, you should contact our Housing Options team on 0808 175 3595 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am - 4.30pm) and (Wednesday 1pm - 4.30pm).

You can also report a rough sleeper on this number or via StreetLink:

thestreetlink.org.uk

If you are homeless out of normal office hours and you need accommodation, you can ring our Out of Hours number on:

0300 123 7035

This number is not for general housing advice but for people who need emergency accommodation.

Pictured - Curzon House in Saltney.