New homes for rough sleepers are set to open in Salford as part of the council’s plan to tackle the city’s homelessness “crisis.”
Eight one-bedroom self-contained apartments for rough sleepers, and six two-bedroom homes for social rent are being built on a plot of land off Eccles New Road and Kirkham Street in Weaste, with work due to finish next month.
They are part of Salford City Council’s rough sleeper accommodation programme and will be sold to Dérive – a development company owned by the town hall – which will manage the properties.
The aim of the scheme is to provide secure homes with an address, which can help with setting up a bank account and finding a route to employment.
In January, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett described the growing homelessness problem in the city as a “crisis.”
According to a recent council report, there were more than 3,000 cases of homelessness in the city last year, up from 1,900 in 2021.
But Mr Dennett told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the council is working to end rough sleeping in the city.
He said:
“Our long-term strategy in Salford is to ensure that everyone has a home.
“This project is a crucial part of the rough sleeping accommodation programme and reflects our dedication to addressing homelessness and putting an end to people sleeping on the streets.”
Coun Tracy Kelly, Salford’s deputy city mayor and lead member for housing and anti-poverty, added:
“By working with local partners and the community, we can build homes that enable people to live independently and move forward with our vision of providing stability and security for our residents.
“We are creating more than just shelters; we are fostering a sense of home for those individuals.”
Funding for the new accommodation came from a grant from the Homes and Communities Agency, now known as Homes England, as well as from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Brownfield Land Fund Grant.
A cash injection worth £270,000 from the council was provided to help the scheme reach completion. Other projects taking place to tackle the city’s housing problems include building 600 new council houses.
Mr Dennett accused the previous Conservative government of making the city’s homelessness situation worse through its accelerated asylum programme, which saw a spike in the number of asylum decisions being made as part of efforts to reduce the backlog – but led some to struggle finding a place to live.
Salford City Council has also faced recent criticism over its record on homelessness from opposition councillors.
Coun Robin Garrido, leader of the Conservatives, said the council missed an opportunity by not turning “empty” offices at the Civic Centre in Swinton into temporary accommodation.
He told the LDRS in July:
“This council hasn’t done enough on homelessness, not at all.”
