A homeless shelter which was to form part of a project to help keep people off the streets has been found a new site.

The Bridge scheme was to be part of Oxford City Council's £8m Junction development, but plans to combine the two met objections and the council decided to look for an alternative site for the shelter.

The Bridge, now in Iffley Road, Oxford, will double in size by expanding into the property next door at a cost to the council of £669,500.

Councillors are expected to give approval to the scheme at a meeting tomorrow. Council leader John Tanner said: "We said we would find The Bridge another site, which we have now done. That allows us to concentrate on the Junction project and making sure everyone is happy with the scheme."

The council is looking to build the Junction on the Abbey Place car park in St Ebbe's but has still not decided on a final design.

Original plans were thrown out when they were described as looking like a prison. Liberal Democrats have vowed to stop the scheme, which they say would create a "Colditz in the centre of Oxford". The Gap project, which also gives advice to homeless and drug addicts, was also originally lined up to form part of the Junction scheme.

It is currently looking for new premises as its lease on its current home in Park End Street runs out next June.

Story date: Tuesday 14 December

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.