Homeless village to be built in South Lanarkshire

A new £3m village for homeless people is to be built in South Lanarkshire.

The project will be developed in Rutherglen by the Social Bite charity and South Lanarkshire Council, and could be open by the summer of 2025.

It will include 15 pre-fabricated houses with bedrooms, kitchens, lounge areas and storage, as well as a community hub and an outdoor gym.

A similar village was launched by the charity in Edinburgh in 2018.

The local authority said the development would help them cope with a significant "spike in homelessness demand" in the region, a problem worsened by the earlier than expected closure of the Lindsay House homeless unit in East Kilbride.

Josh Littlejohn, the co-founder of Social Bite, told BBC Scotland News: "One of the most difficult things with homelessness is temporary accommodation. So much of it is not fit for purpose.

"People can be left unsupported and their mental health then deteriorates.

"The village can be an alternative to that, and really build people up and help them work their way out of homelessness."

A third sector partner will be appointed by South Lanarkshire Council, who will collect rent and provide "intensive" on-site support.

Mr Littlejohn estimated that about 100 people have used the Edinburgh development since it opened.

He added that he hoped people would stay at the village for six months before moving to their own accommodation.

The land, on Harriet Street in Rutherglen, is owned by the council and not currently in use.

It will be leased to Social Bite on a five-year lease agreement, with the option to extend for a further five years at a nominal rent of £1 per year.