Homeless flats protest spreads net (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Homeless flats protest spreads net

12:51pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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A CAMPAIGN to stop a block of flats for homeless young people being built in the middle of a residential area is being widened to include the whole of Bromsgrove.

If Bromsgrove planners give it the go-ahead it will be one of more than 130 similar Foyer schemes nationwide. The plan is for 15 new flats at Station Approach backing on to Coronation Terrace for people aged 16 to 25. It will include training, education, preparation for work and the teaching of life skills.

Residents claim the largely unsupervised project could lead to a sharp rise in anti social, criminal and other serious problems.

Residents' Association chairman Katie Baylis said: "We are not against the scheme in principle and we realise there is a need for this type of accommodation, but we firmly believe the proposed site at Aston Fields is in the wrong place."

She said her colleagues recently visited three other Foyer schemes, each on industrial sites. Worryingly, at another, police had revealed to them all the young tenants had been evicted The group has arranged a public meeting for 7pm tomorrow (Thursday) July 24 at the Rugby Club at Finstall where a 'fighting fund' and petition to cover the whole of Bromsgrove will be launched and new information revealed.

"The petition will be available for people from all over the town to sign at Banners, the Ladybird Inn and the bookmakers," said Ms Baylis.

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