Dozens of new homes in Peterborough to help the homeless

The city council has released more than £6 million for Bretton Court to be converted into 42 new affordable homes, while the authority is set to loan £100,000 to Cross Keys Homes to renovate Tyesdale in Bretton so it can be used as temporary accommodation.

The housing boost coincides with the council ending its use of Travelodges from outside Peterborough as emergency accommodation.

The authority has been criticised after a large rise in homeless households saw it move families into hotels in cities such as Leicester and Doncaster due to a shortage of temporary accommodation in Peterborough.

There were 63 households who were being put up in temporary accommodation outside the Peterborough area in August, but this has now reduced to zero.

To continue that progress the council is now allocating more than £6.3 million to Medesham Homes to convert offices at Bretton Court into 42 affordable homes.

Medesham is a joint housing venture between the council and Cross Keys, the city’s largest housing association.

Medesham has previously had planning permission rejected for homes at Bretton Court due to a lack of parking provision, but additional commercial units are expected to be purchased soon to try and alleviate that concern.

A council spokesman said it was still to be decided whether planning permission would be needed for the conversion of the offices.

The council is also lending Cross Keys £100,000 to refurbish its properties at Tyesdale, with the council then entering into five-year lease agreements for the 24 units to be used as temporary accommodation. This will save the authority money in the long run as it is cheaper to house families in properties rather than in B&B-type accommodation.

Meanwhile, Medesham saw 29 families move into its first affordable homes development just in time for Christmas. The homes have been completed at Allport Close off Midland Road, West Town, by Countryside Properties.

Cross Keys chief executive Claire Higgins said: “To be able to move 29 families into these new homes in time for Christmas was a fantastic achievement for Medesham Homes, and being the first new development we have completed means that it is extra special.”