£2m fund for homes for young people on the streets

Salford City Council will build 18 homes for young people at risk of becoming homeless

Homes will be built for young people who are otherwise facing a life on the streets.

Eighteen homes for people aged between 18 and 25 are to be built in the Walkden and Broughton areas of Salford.

Salford City Council approved the plans at a town hall meeting of Salford councillors on Tuesday.

Mayor Paul Dennett said: "We all know the housing and homelessness crisis is not something that's going away anytime soon."

'Crisis'

Homes England will put up about £2m of the cash for the homes, which will be self-contained one-bedroom flats.

The plan comes after the mayor declared a homelessness "crisis" in the city in January.

The council was forced to open emergency overnight accommodation in December, offering blow-up beds and sun loungers to the city’s homeless, as demand for housing has grown.

Mr Dennett has pledged to build hundreds of new council houses around Salford to try and tackle the issue, with Conservatives in the borough suggesting that empty council offices could be used as temporary accommodation.

He told the town hall meeting that the "housing and homelessness crisis" had a "disproportionate effect on young people".

He added: "What we are doing here is responding positively to that crisis and thinking about young people as well, giving them the best start in life.

"Fundamentally, a home is a human right.

"Having a place to call home is critical for young people."