Plans to keep temporary homeless shelter in use

The mobile classroom was repurposed as a homeless shelter

A temporary homeless night shelter could stay in use for another five years.

Herefordshire Council has applied via its planning department for permission to keep the single-storey building in Hereford in use until 2029.

The mobile building on the Symonds Street car park was previously a classroom for pupils with special needs.

It is now used as emergency winter accommodation and is fitted with 11 put-up beds, a kitchenette and toilet.

The shelter is run by charity Caring for Communities and People (CCP) on the council’s behalf, and opens between 20:00 and 08:00.

A number of individual homelessness “pods” have also been placed near the building, including two previously used in the nearby county bus station car park.

Additionally, the council is planning to convert a former public toilet beside the city’s St Peter’s Church into a shelter.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.