Police building to be converted for homeless

the council says the police force has accepted its offer on the building

A disused police building could be converted into temporary rooms for single homeless people.

Coventry City Council said the police had accepted its offer to buy the building on Chace Avenue, which was formerly used to accommodate officers.

The council added that it would consult residents on its proposal and the neighbouring police station would remain open.

West Midlands Police said all cash from the sale would be reinvested in policing.

Coventry was facing a rising number of single homeless adults who needed temporary housing, the council said.

It added that the police building would provide 34 to 36 beds if the proposals went ahead, in addition to 111 beds elsewhere in the city.

Almost 200 people worried about homelessness or facing the threat of homelessness contacted the council every week, it said.

This total includes single people and those in families.

Ch Supt Paul Drover, who is responsible for policing across Coventry, welcomed plans for the disused site “to help some of the most vulnerable people in the city”.

He added that “every penny of the cash received from the sale of this long-disused building will be reinvested in policing.”

The authority has invited residents to come to Willenhall Library between 16:00 and 19:00 GMT on Monday 26 February to share views on the proposals, or to submit comments via its website.