Consultation opens for temporary housing plans

A council has asked people living in a county to share their thoughts on plans to build new temporary accommodation.

West Northamptonshire Council said it was preparing planning applications for temporary housing on two sites in Northampton.

The plots near Edgar Mobbs Way, near Sixfields, and Birds Hill Walk, in Weston Favell, could create 108 temporary homes, the authority said.

Charlie Hastie, Reform UK councillor and cabinet member for housing on the council, said: "This proposal allows us to create temporary accommodation which is better suited to people's needs and saves taxpayers' money."

The authority said it has faced significant challenges in finding and funding short-term accommodation for people in West Northamptonshire.

In June, the cabinet at the council voted in favour of bringing the management of social housing in-house after a number of "failings" with a property management were identified.

It was the first major decision by the Reform UK-led council after the party took control of the authority in the local elections in May.

The new proposal would see one and two-bedroom units which could help people while reducing costs, the authority added.

Hastie said the new units would "create two small communities" as a starting point for "people to get back on their feet".

One of the sites, Edgar Mobbs Way near Sixfields, is planned to have 14 one-bedroom and 56 two-bedroom homes.

The other site, which is off Birds Hill Walk in Weston Favell, would see 38 two-bedroom homes.

Both sites are owned by the council who said the units would be stacked to create two floors to make use of the space.

Each location would have a community hub building, laundry facilities, cycle and refuse story and a play area, alongside a site office for council support staff and out-of-hours security as needed.

Hastie added: "Nobody ever wants to find themselves and their family homeless, and if they do, they want the reassurance that someone can help solve the immediate worry of needing a roof over their head.

"They will have integrated local amenities, though the units can be moved elsewhere at any time, should the need arise."

People in the nearby area were invited to look at the plans by the council before they were submitted.

The exhibitions were set to take place on 9 July between 15:30 BST and 20:00 at Weston Favell parish Hall in Booth Lane South, and on 16 July between the same times at 1897 Suite at Sixfields Stadium.

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