A development in Llantwit Major containing 90 units of temporary accommodation for the homeless is about to welcome its first tenants.
Built on the site of the former Eagleswell Primary School, the project has been signed off by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Planning and Building Control Teams so is ready for use.
The units will provide high-quality, short-term housing for those in significant need, such as refugees from the war in Ukraine and local families on the Council’s housing waiting list.
Work on the properties, which will be known as Heol Croeso, began last year.
They are a mix of single and two-storey one, two, three and four-bed homes for use on a short-term basis until more permanent housing is secured.
The high-quality homes have been finished to exacting standards.
They can be moved to different locations in the future as required, while the development includes a pond, landscaped areas, gardens, car parking and an internal road.
Cllr Lis Burnett, Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan said: “This development will provide temporary accommodation for those in desperate need, such as people fleeing the war in Ukraine and those currently living in other less suitable settings.
“It reflects a Council priority to help the most vulnerable as we bid to become a County of Sanctuary, signifying a commitment to support those who have suffered forced displacement.
“There is an urgent need for new homes as Wales is experiencing a housing crisis created by a shortage of accommodation, growing waiting lists and increased levels of homelessness.
“The use of this site will be important in easing the pressure on council housing stock and represents a far more dignified solution than the use of substantially more expensive and cramped temporary hotel accommodation.”
The Council has seen unprecedented levels of extreme housing need and a significant rise in the number of homeless applications in the last two years. These units will be one of the ways in which we support homeless families.
There are more than 200 families currently in temporary accommodation with on average four new cases moving into temporary accommodation each week.
This has led to the Council needing to place families in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation for the first time in over a decade.
The Eagleswell site is allocated for housing development in the Vale’s current Local Development Plan. However, there has also been discussion with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board about the use of some or all of the site for a new health facility for Llantwit Major. These discussions will continue, and any permanent development of the site will be subject to public consultation.
