Reading Borough Council announces plan for 'emergency' family homes
- Published
Reading Borough Council has unveiled plans for 28 temporary houses
Plans for new temporary accommodation in Reading for homeless families to use in emergencies have been announced.
Reading Borough Council said it would build 28 prefabricated flats for those who need urgent housing because they cannot afford private rents.
Currently 130 households in the town are staying in bed and breakfasts.
Between 2015 and 2016, the council spent £1.37m on housing families in bed and breakfasts.
Legally councils can only house families in temporary accommodation for a maximum of six weeks.
The council will build the homes on a former mobile home park
The flats will be built on a former mobile home park site in Lowfield Road, Caversham.
The council has said the stock of affordable housing in Reading has reduced because of high land prices and rents, as well as Right to Buy sales.
The 28 homes are intended to house families while the council tries to house them in authority-owned accommodation.
Councillor Richard Davies said: "Living in bed and breakfast accommodation for any length of time for those families is a pretty horrible experience.
"They're often in one room, overcrowded and don't have cooking facilities."
The 28 homes would also have 32 parking spaces, a bike shed, and a play area