Homeless pod near railway station approved

The homeless shelter is located near Kendal train station in Cumbria

A permanent "homeless pod" has been approved to replace a temporary version close to a town's railway station.

The pod sits outside the Manna House homeless shelter off Ann Street in Kendal, Cumbria.

It provides temporary accommodation to homeless people "in emergencies", according to planning documents.

Cumbria Police praised the management of the pod and Westmorland and Furness Council said there had been a lack of reports of significant antisocial behaviour linked to the structure.

A statement from a Cumbria Police officer, contained in a council report, said: "The management procedures for the pod continue to be effective and, presently, the pod does not generate disproportionate calls for service."

It was stated in council documents that Manna House was in an area of Kendal with low-level antisocial behaviour, however it was not possible to determine if there had been a significant increase in issues due to the installation of "a single homeless pod in the forecourt/parking area of the building."

The application described the fixture as "temporary", despite it being intended as a permanent fixture.

During a planning meeting on Thursday, Lib Dem councillor Rupert Audland, vice chair of the planning committee, said the pod was temporary in the sense that "if you were in it, you wouldn't want to be there forever".

The planning officer further clarified that it was considered temporary as in "it is not concreted in the ground, it can be taken away".

Two temporary permissions were previously sought by and granted to the homeless shelter, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said, and any "like for like" replacements in the future would not need planning permission.