A PROMINENT listed building in a town centre that has been converted to provide homeless accommodation is expected to open next month.
Pontypool’s neo-classical style Pearl House was built in the late 1950s for the insurance firm and granted grade-II status by Welsh historic buildings body Cadw due to its special architectural interest as “a carefully designed purpose built commercial building of the post war period displaying distinctive styling and use of materials”.
Its ground floor has been in use as offices but the Hanbury Road building has now been converted to provide 15 flats for people who have been homeless, or at risk of homelessness, while they wait to move from temporary into permanent accommodation. Support services will be provided on site, including in some of the ground floor units.
Homeless charity the Wallich will support tenants who it’s expected could live at Pearl House for up to six months while they wait to find a home of their own.
Councillor David Daniels, Torfaen Borough Council’s cabinet member responsible for housing, said the service meets the Welsh Government’s approach that homelessness should be “preventable and where it occurs is brief, rare and unrepeated”.
He had been asked at the authority’s November meeting, by Labour councillor for Panteg Nathan Yeowell, how the Labour-run council is preparing to meet the Welsh Government’s plans to end homelessness.
Cllr Daniels said the government’s approach is for rapid rehousing, meaning where possible people are provided a home with support around them if necessary, and Torfaen has already been working towards similar principles.
He said: “To a large extent we are ahead of the game and well versed in the rapid rehousing model and have followed many of its principles for many years and next month we expect Pearl House to open that embodies that approach.”
He added the council has a “targeted move on” plan for those in temporary accommodation and it “expects to be fully compliant” with the Welsh Government’s plan should it become law.
Torfaen, the councillor claimed, has “bucked the trend” of rising numbers in temporary accommodation due to its “flexible approach” with a housing allocations policy “meaning we can get the balance right between those at risk of homelessness and those on our common housing waiting list.” He also said Torfaen “isn’t immune” to the trend.
Cllr Daniels said he “sincerely hopes” any new legislation will continue to allow councils flexibility in housing.
In response to a question from Cwmbran Labour member Colettee Thomas Cllr Daniels said the council works with housing associations, which provide social housing in Torfaen, to understand and monitor demand, including when homes become empty, to reduce pressure on temporary accommodation. The council’s preventative work with those already with a home is also aimed at reducing the need for temporary accommodation.
He said: “While the situation changes from week to week at this point in time we have no residents in hotels or ad hoc b and b’s in the borough.”