NEW housing for families at risk of becoming homeless can be built on the site of a former community centre in Poole.

During its first ever remote meeting on Thursday, BCP Council’s planning committee approved the £2.5 million Poole Housing Partnership scheme in Herbert Avenue.

Councillors said there was a “desperate” need for this type of accommodation.

Plans to redevelop the Bourne Valley Community Centre were first formally put forward by Poole council in 2018.

It was part of work to increase the amount of short-term accommodation for people at risk of becoming homeless and reduce its reliance on more expensive bed and breakfasts.

The planning application, submitted last year, proposed two blocks each with 12 flats with the intention that about 90 per cent of its use would be for families.

But the scheme attracted significant opposition, including from the headteacher of the neighbouring St Joseph’s primary school.

He raised concerns about the ability for people living in the new blocks to overlook its grounds.

Despite the concerns, the application was referred to BCP Council’s planning committee for a decision with a recommendation it be approved.

Councillor Stephen Bartlett said there were “a number of reasons” why a similar proposal would have been refused, had it been a normal residential development.

“However, there’s a desperate need for temporary accommodation and we’ve got to find some way of housing people,” he said.

Cllr Bartlett did raise concerns about the lack of council housing for people to move into and said temporary housing was becoming less temporary.

“We’ve already seen where temporary housing has progressively filled up to the point where they can’t move on because there’s nowhere for them to go,” he said.

He said the blocks provided “no amenity to speak of” and had “inadequate” parking and that was “not acceptable” for people having to live there for several years.

Despite his concerns, he did join the rest of the committee in unanimously approving the application, citing the “desperate” need for accommodation for people at risk of homelessness.

Speaking after the meeting, the cabinet member for housing, councillor Kieron Wilson said there was a need to increase the amount of socially-rented housing in the area.

“The council’s new corporate strategy sets out our priority to make sure that we invest in the homes our communities need and work with partners to increase overall supply.

“Importantly, the strategy also makes clear that we will be continuing our housing new build and acquisition programme with an ambition to build 1,000 new homes on BCP Council owned land over the next five years, including sub-market affordable and social rented homes.”

He said there were “many” such schemes due to be discussed by the cabinet but they were put on hold to assess the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak.