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Lord Shipley opens homeless redevelopment

A CENTRE for homeless people in the heart of Newcastle’s West End has been officially opened following a £2.2m redevelopment programme.

The £2.2m Elliott House scheme, run by The Cyrenians, was made possible by £1m in funding from the Homes and Communities Agency’s Places of Change programme, which supports projects to tackle homelessness and help people get their lives back on track through training, education and skills.

Former City Council Leader Lord Shipley said: “This is a truly wonderful facility. It is inspiring and functional. Those who find themselves in need of The Cyrenians’ support will undoubtedly benefit from the very best environment in which to begin their recovery.

“I am particularly impressed with the opportunity for homeless couples to be supported at Elliott House. It’s a subject close to my heart and fundamental to sustaining positive change in our society.”

Tom Warburton, Head of Strategy, Programme and Performance in the North East for the Homes and Communities Agency said: “This project will make a real difference to people’s lives, helping them to move on with new skills and new opportunities. Our Places of Change programme is all about transforming local services for people facing homelessness, and Elliott House is a great example of that approach in action.”

The scheme is one a number of projects supported by the Homes and Communities Agency in Newcastle’s West End.

It follows the recent announcement of a £9.8m investment to prepare land at Scotswood for development of new homes, a £1.7m grant to support a pioneering green heating scheme at nearby Riverside Dene and a £2m investment replacing unpopular deck access flats at Blakelaw.

Meanwhile, the facility also offers job search support and study areas, as well as a medical room which is available for use by the local community.

The Grade II listed building was originally designed by celebrated Tyneside architect John Dobson, with the redevelopment designed by Jane Darbyshire & David Kendall (JDDK) Limited.

The project was also supported by the National Treatment Agency, and Newcastle City Council

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .