Liverpool City Council rejects youth homeless unit plan

The derelict building dates back to the 19th Century

Councillors have rejected plans to demolish a 19th Century former church hall in Liverpool to build accommodation for homeless youth.

Liverpool City Council vetoed the application for a 24-bed supported living accommodation at the vacant church hall on New Road, Tuebrook.

It would have been operated by YMCA Together and Local Solutions to support young people aged between 16-21.

Merseyside Police and more than 100 people objected to the plan.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said a council report detailed how officers felt the proposal was "situated in an area of Tuebrook where there is already an oversaturation of supported residential accommodation schemes".

'Exploitation risk'

In addition, force representatives said the hostel would "contribute to crime in the area" and has "the potential to be a 'gateway for crime'".

According to a YMCA Together management plan, many of the young people who would have been accommodated "will not be in employment, education, or training, and can be at risk of exploitation". 

It said the service would provide support focussing on empowering young people, developing their life skills and "preparing them for successful and sustainable independent living".

Documents submitted with the application said the brick-built ex-church building dates to 1890 and was designed to accommodate a congregation of 250 people.

The local authority said the development would "result in the loss of a community facility from within a local centre without demonstration that there would be no future need or demand for the space, or consideration of whether the premises are no longer suitable to continue in community use".

It added the proposal would "result in a poor relationship with the neighbouring property" and "would likely lead to an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour as a result of the proximity to local businesses and residential properties".

Councillor Steve Radford said: "More 100 residents joined me in putting objections into the building becoming a hostel. We don't want Tuebrook to become a dumping zone for any hostel."

He added: "It's just the wrong place."