Homeless hostel plans approved for city

Crossways House will be used to provide sheltered accommodation for the next five years

Former student housing is set to be turned into year-round accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.

Cambridge City Council granted planning permission for Crossways House, in Chesterton Road, to be used as sheltered accommodation for the next five years.

The hostel, to be managed by the charity It Takes A City, will provide 20 en-suite bedrooms.

While some neighbours objected, raising concerns about anti-social behaviour, the proposals were approved at a meeting.

Councillors were told at the planning committee meeting that Crossways House had been used as homeless accommodation during the winter for the past few years.

The latest plans would see the building used all year round, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Councillors were told people staying in the hostel during the summer would not be at high risk but would still be supported by staff, with additional security on site for six hours on a Friday and Saturday night.

From November to March the hostel would be used as emergency sheltered accommodation.

People staying there, councillors were told, were "likely to have complex needs" and additional staffing was planned, with security on site 24 hours a day.

Rough sleepers

The Sandy Lane Residents' Association said it recognised the importance of providing support but questioned whether Crossways House was the right location.

It claimed since it had stopped being used as a temporary shelter, issues in the area including "antisocial behaviour" had "entirely ceased".

Chris Jenkin, from It Takes a City, said the project at Crossways House had received a Housing Justice Gold award for quality in 2024 and had supported up to 50 rough sleepers each winter.

He said: "This is a well-established award-winning project that brings together a large number of stakeholders to do better for those who end up sleeping rough, saving them from an early death and giving them the best chance to rebuild lives away from the street.

"We are doing everything we can to make Cambridge a city where no one has to sleep rough," he added.

A majority of the committee members agreed to approve the application.