Defunct care home to house homeless people

A total of 19 rooms will be opened at Abbeyfield House in Hadleigh

A former care home is to be reopened as a temporary accommodation for the homeless after plans were approved.

Blueprints showed 19 rooms would be made available for people at Abbeyfield House in Hadleigh, Essex.

It came despite concerns brought to Castle Point Borough Council about overcrowding and security at the site in Chapel Lane.

Planning officer Sarah Williamson said it was a "cost-effective" method of meeting housing demands.

Independent councillor Kate Knott said the authority had to act before it lost the property, but admitted there had been "mixed views" about the plan.

The building was constructed in 1983 for sheltered housing, a report served to the development management committee showed.

Homeless people would have access to a kitchen, shower and a bed in their rooms once it was converted.

'Too little care'

But a resident, who only gave her name as Ms Johnson, said the design was "flawed" and unsafe.

"Crucially, we still don't know how many people are intended to live here," she said, as she called for 24-hour security on-site.

"The plan tries to do too much, too fast, with too little care."

Ms Williamson said there would be staff present at the building and insisted CCTV would be "regularly monitored".

She said the council was unable to meet its housing targets for homeless people as things stood.

"The proposal, if permitted, would meet this housing need in a more supported, sustainable and cost-effective way," Ms Williamson told the meeting.

"Potential residents would be assessed for numerous risk factors, and those with a chequered past or additional needs would be placed in specialised units and not at this location."