Flats become a 'homelessness halfway house' (From Oxford Mail)

Flats become a 'homelessness halfway house'

3:00pm Saturday 7th April 2012 in News By Laura Jones

HOMES for four former homeless people will be created after planners agreed that warden flats owned by the charity Emmaus could be used as “move-on” accommodation.

The flats next to the Temple Cowley United Reform Church Hall in Oxford Road will now be used for four people who have been helped by the charity.

A report to the East Area Planning Committee this week said that staff felt “the house could be put to better use by providing a ‘halfway house’ between the halls of residence adjacent and going on to live independently”.

There are 24 people now living at the charity’s community in Oxford Road.

While at Emmaus, residents are given work recycling furniture and other donated items for the charity’s stores in Northway and Templar’s Square.

Councillor Dick Wolff backed the application, but said: “I don’t think it would be appropriate to put a new-comer into the property.

“It’s my feeling that this should be used by people in the community and it should be used by people as they are moving on.

“We don’t want a situation where, five years down the line, it is being used for emergency accommodation for people off the street.”