Work underway to provide Council’s first fully accessible temporary accommodation

Date published: 3rd August 2022

Work underway to provide Council’s first fully accessible temporary accommodation

The Council are renovating a bungalow in the district, to become the Council’s first fully accessible property, to be used for temporary accommodation.

The property was purchased so that residents in North Norfolk facing homelessness could be temporarily housed in a property which is fully equipped for their accessibility needs.

The property is being renovated to be fully accessible, undergoing such works replanning the rooms for wheelchair mobility, lowered appliances and wider doorways.  The property will also offer high levels of energy efficiency.

The works have been undertaken by as a collaborative project between the Housing Options team and local contractors Malcolm Abbs Ltd., KGB and Kings & Barnhams.

Cllr. Wendy Fredericks, portfolio holder for Housing and Benefits said:

“This provision is vital for people in North Norfolk. Facing homelessness is a scary time for families, let alone those with accessibility requirements, not knowing if your needs will be fully met when temporarily re-housed.

With this property, we are able to better support our residents, giving them privacy and dignity, keeping them out of potentially inappropriate bed and breakfast properties where their needs may not be met.

The Council has not had a permanent housing stock since 2006, so the purchasing and redevelopment of these properties for temporary accommodation goes a long way in helping those most in need.”

Accommodation & Support Team Leader Lesley Winston visited the property earlier into the works

The Council provides temporary accommodation to homeless households while it can assess their needs ahead of securing a permanent living arrangement; this property brings the housing stock up to 14 with plans to increase this number.

With high demand for temporary accommodation and rising numbers in households approaching the Council to be assisted with shelter, alternatives must be sourced that may be inappropriate for households – especially families with children.

If you have are a landlord and have a property which can be used as temporary accommodation, please contact the Housing team.

If you are facing homelessness, you can find out options available to you on our website.