Site for new homelessness centre to be sought by Highland Council

The Highland Council is to seek a new site within Inverness for a dedicated Housing and Health Advice Centre for the homeless which will be linked to affordable housing.

This decision was made at the Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee yesterday (06 August 2008) as members agreed to dispose of Huntly House and associated buildings at 3,3a and 4 Huntly Place, Inverness by placing on the open market.

A lease between The Highland Council and the Salvation Army came to an end in December 2006 and existing residents were rehoused by the Council as refurbishment of Huntly House would not provide the standards required of a 21st Century Housing & Health Advice Centre for the homeless.

Anticipated funds received from the sale of Council property at Huntly Place are expected to generate around £700,000 which will be ring fenced to assist in the provision of a new Housing and Health Advice Centre within Inverness.

Site options for a new centre linked to affordable housing will be reported at a future meeting of the Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee.

Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee said: “We have some extremely good homelessness services provided at Waterloo Place linked to the NHS and we will continue to use these. But what we need is a decent building to help the homeless to get find accommodation. We look forward to a report on proposed sites for a new centre coming back to a future committee.”

For further information please contact: Allan Maguire Head of Housing Development & Estates tel: (01463) 702528