William Booth House: Hull homeless hostel bought by council for £1

William Booth House provides accommodation support for up to 109 people in Hull

A homeless hostel for vulnerable people in Hull is to be bought by the council for £1.

William Booth House was run by the Salvation Army but it decommissioned the Hessle Road building in April 2023.

The authority said it had to move quickly to buy the property from the charity and would be planning options for its future with the community.

However, a council report stated the building was thought to be unfit to accommodate and help rough sleepers.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Paul Drake-Davis said the building was a strategically important asset.

"This decision prevents its immediate disposal on the open market which could result in the building being operated by a poorly-run supported accommodation provider thus exacerbating homelessness or community cohesion issues in the city."

But Councillor Daren Hale claimed people living near William Booth House had been kept in the dark about the authority's plans.

The property, which was used as supported accommodation for people to recover from homelessness and the associated trauma, has mainly remained empty after the charity stopped running it.

But since December, the authority has been using a room to shelter homeless people who needed legal protection during severe weather.

In 2022, the Salvation Army said it was not going to retender for the contract to run William Booth House

The report on the sale of the building also mentioned alternative options, including the Salvation Army leasing the property to a third-party supported housing provider, but said the idea would likely contribute to homelessness rather than resolving the issue.

Hull City Council also ruled out its use to house asylum seekers when it was in talks with the Salvation Army last year.

A £75,000 budget has been set aside to draw up future plans, likely to be for housing or accommodation, after refurbishment.

'Monolithic giant'

The council also assumed liability for a £3.1m social housing grant linked to the building.

Mr Hale said: "We would always support the council taking over the site to stop a rogue housing provider swooping in and acquiring it.

"But any future use must be subject to full discussion and agreement with the long-suffering residents and us as their elected representatives.

"Residents report this area of the estate has become far quieter since this monolithic giant hostel ceased to operate, so residents understandably want a say in what comes next."

The authority said documents confirming the sale were in the public domain and that residents would be consulted over the building's future use.