PROPOSALS to create a council-owned property in Bewsey to support homeless families have been given the green light.

A report on the ‘specialist housing programme’ for the Lodge Lane site came before the cabinet at its meeting on Monday.

It set out the proposals to create a ‘large multiple occupancy property’, owned and managed by the council, to support homeless families who would otherwise be placed in emergency accommodation in hotels and bed & breakfast accommodation.

Cllr Sarah Hall, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “I just wanted to say that I really welcome this report and just to say that the proposals, the detail in the proposals, is very well thought out.

“And those little details, things like the play area and those communal areas, and the location next to Bewsey Lodge Primary, which I know does a fantastic job in supporting the local community anyway, it’s a fabulous school, those are the details that will make a difference to families’ lives, vulnerable families’ lives, so I just wanted to say well done to everyone involved.”

Council leader Cllr Russ Bowden said: “We’ve got an opportunity to use the assets that we have in this town in order to tackle, or help tackle, part of the issue of homelessness.

“I think this being targeted at family groups is really vital, so well done to everyone involved.”

A report to cabinet said the project will improve the experiences and life chances for the families and their children.

“It will also offer greater stability of placement and consistency of care in their local community, which cannot always be achieved in the private sector and is essential to their sense of identity and belonging as Warrington children,” it added.

The cabinet decided to progress with the delivery of the purchase and conversion of the site to deliver temporary accommodation subject to planning permission, along with approving the use of the COMF funding and the allocation of capital monies for the completion of the conversion of the site.