Plans to turn a disused office building into a new 'homeless hub' have been unveiled.

Newcastle Borough Council wants to convert International House, just outside the town centre, into a facility providing both drop-in support for homeless and vulnerable people along with supported, temporary accommodation.

The new centre will replace and expand on existing homelessness provision in Newcastle, using nearly £1 million of government funding. A drop-in homeless hub, on the ground floor of the Stubbs Gate building, will be open during the day, five days a week, providing hot meals, showers and laundry facilities, as well as a venue for support services from organisations such as Citizens Advice, Saltbox, Brighter Futures and the council's rough sleeper team.

This will replace the existing homeless hub at the Salvation Army in Bridge Street, which runs two days a week and supports up to 140 people a month. The rest of the building will be turned into supported accommodation, with 12 bedrooms and a shared lounge and kitchen – an additional three emergency beds could be provided during winter.

Support workers will be based in the building 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a security guard on duty at night. Temporary accommodation for homeless people is currently provided at Merrial Street in Newcastle.

The borough council, which will run the new facility, has lodged a planning application to change the use of International House to a homeless hub and a house in multiple occupation.

Gillian Taylor, acting service director for regulatory services at the borough council, said: "As a council, we aim to end rough sleeping in the borough by 2025. If it does occur, we aim for it to be rare, brief and for it not to keep happening for the same people.

"We already run a support service two days a week and the proposals we have put forward would allow us to grow this and support more people. The plans are now open for consultation as part of the planning process and we would welcome people's feedback."

According to the application, the building is in an 'ideal location' and has a 'secure nature' due its high boundary walls and lack of ground floor windows on the Stubbs Gate side. The plans include internal and external CCTV cameras which will be monitored by staff.

The borough council was awarded £955,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for the homeless hub, including £695,000 of capital funding used to purchase International House.

Revenue funding allocated to the project will last until 2025. The council is considering various options for the hub's operation beyond 2025, including leasing the centre to a third party to run, or bidding for further funding from the Rough Sleeper Initiative.

Planners at the borough council will consider the proposals for the homeless hub over the coming weeks.

------------

READ MORE: New takeaway given green light to open opposite nightclub in Stoke-on-Trent

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Stoke Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our city.

Subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter email HERE - just click the 'SIGN UP' button.

Please consider following Stoke Nub News on Facebook or Twitter.