Short-term accommodation for the homeless opens

Hardy House was built in 1909 in Portland

A £1.3m project to build affordable homes for homeless households has been completed.

Hardy House, built in 1909 in Portland, Dorset, has previously been used by the Royal Navy and the military police, and as a youth hostel and Covid response site.

The site now has three two-bedroom and two one-bedroom self-contained flats, including an adapted ground-floor unit for residents with mobility needs or carers.

The homes will be allocated and managed by Dorset Council's housing team, with people expected to start moving in over the next few weeks.

The authority said it would ensure there was "fair and transparent access based on assessed need" for the new homes.

They were part-funded by Homes England and "insulated to high standards" to help reduce energy costs, it said.

"Hardy House will provide short-term accommodation for people, as they work with their housing officer to secure a long-term home," the council said.

"This approach helps keep households together, reduces reliance on costly and unsuitable B&B accommodation, and supports residents' mental health and wellbeing during a vulnerable time."

Hardy House was designed in the Edwardian period for the Admiralty's Chief Civil Engineer.

One of the rooms was used as a prison cell when the building was later used by the military police.

It was leased to the Youth Hostels Association of England and Wales in the mid-1990s.