New housing projects under way for Cornwall

Cornwall Council hopes to buy 20 homes to provide housing for Afghanistan refugees

Homes for refugees, extra housing pods for the homeless and more affordable homes are among projects being worked on at Cornwall Council.

The developments will use a £2.6m grant being secured from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Councillors say the funding will support the purchase of 20 homes to provide housing for Afghanistan refugees and temporary accommodation.

The projects are detailed in a report to be heard by a committee in October.

They include:

• The renovation of the Somewhere Safe to Stay Hub at Chough House at River Street in Truro.

• Work on three further "homeless pod" schemes to deliver 42 one-bedroom homes for single people who would otherwise be without a home.

• The delivery of affordable housing projects across the Duchy.

The Somewhere Safe to Stay Hub at Chough House provides accommodation for homeless people

The council's portfolio holder for housing and planning, Olly Monk, said Cornwall has "insufficient variety and types of accommodation for some of our most vulnerable residents", reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Monk added: "My planning and housing teams are working closely with colleagues across the council, particularly in social care teams, to find ways of increasing delivery of new and different types of accommodation in a specific programme of activity."