Plans for three gates at a town hall to keep out rough sleepers have been approved.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council wants to install the wrought iron gates at Stoke Town Hall's entrance on Glebe Street.

Last year council leaders agreed to spend £32,175 on the project as part of a wider project aimed at tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.

The sheltered portico in front of the entrance is often used by rough sleepers, and council officials said Civic Centre staff have to deal with 'almost daily occurrences of anti-social behaviour' linked to the issue.

An application seeking listed building consent for the gates has now been approved by council planners.

The application says the portico has been 'prone to issues such as littering, rough sleeping and anti-social behaviour', and the gates will address these concerns by enclosing the area and restricting access.

According to agents BHB Architects, the gates have been 'carefully designed to complement the architectural style of the building', incorporating fleur-de-lis finials for a 'decorative yet cohesive aesthetic'.

The city council previously approved plans to install gates at the entrance in 2018, but these were never carried out and the permission lapsed.

advertisement

Rough sleeping is a growing problem in Stoke-on-Trent. In the autumn, the city's rough sleeper outreach team was helping 81 individuals, a 16 per cent increase on 2024.

Council leaders recently agreed to spend £1.4 million on a range of measures to tackle the issue, including extra night shelter beds and support services.

In addition to the gates scheme, plans have also been approved to move the existing flagpole at Stoke Town Hall.

The flagpole is currently located on the roof above the Glebe Street entrance, and a planning application says this presents 'significant accessibility and maintenance challenges'.

This flagpole will now be removed and replace with two new flagpoles above the Kings Hall entrance on the other side of the building. The application says this provides 'a more practical and safer solution'.