Homeless hostel is on target
South Wales Argus: 1 June 2006
Work is progressing well on the construction of a £1.5 million hostel for the homeless in a Gwent town, says the developer.
Pontypool's former TA centre in Osborne Road was demolished in December to make way for a 20-bed hostel and training centre for the borough's young homeless.
Torfaen council's planning committee gave the green light to plans submitted by Newport-based Fairlake properties early this year.
The project was given priority because of an increase of homelessness in the borough, blamed on rapidly rising house prices and lack of social housing.
Today a spokesman for Fairlake said work was progressing well and he confirmed that the hostel would be operational by February 2007. “We have started on the construction stage proper and are on target to complete the project on time,” he said.
In 2003/2004 more than 1,100 homeless presentations were made to Torfaen council, 350 of them from young people aged between 16 and 25.
The council currently spends £450,000 a year on bed and breakfast accommodation for young people, placing some as far away as Cardiff and Bristol.
The 24-hour manned hostel will be operated by Solas, the Newport-based homeless support organisation working with Fairlake.
It will cater for 16-25 year-olds from the Torfaen area. Much of the cost - £1.1 million – has come from the National Assembly.
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