World Homelessness Day is on 10th October this year. Whilst homelessness is a global problem due to war, natural disaster and many other reasons, it is also a local problem that we are working hard to try to overcome.

Building within Gloucester is difficult. Much of the available land within the city has been used for a variety of purposes over the centuries since the Romans settled here. It is full of archeological remains and is also often contaminated by previous uses.

I have previously mentioned some new housing developments in the city. The first is at St Oswalds, where several acres of land have been acquired and made available to Rooftop Housing to build up to 300 new homes, with at least 200 to be affordable homes. The land was the site of the old cattle market and may have been a rubbish dump before that. Hence it needed remediation before building could take place. The Council applied for Government help and was delighted to receive £2.2M to help clean up the area.

Building should commence this year

The second area is the former railway sidings on the other side of Great Western Road from the hospital, where Eutopia are planning the build of another 315 homes, again in a brownfield site. I am hopeful that building on both sites will commence later this year.

In and close to the Forum, the Council built 19 apartments as part of Phase 1 of the development, almost all of which have been sold. At the same time, on Spread Eagle Road, land was made available for Gloucester City Homes to build another 25 affordable apartments. That work looks to be continuing well.

Throughout the city centre, other developers are recognising the investments taking place and have already converted several buildings into residential accommodation, such as the former Citizen building on St Johns Lane and elsewhere on Westgate Street. The Council’s policy in relation to the city centre is to encourage city centre residential living. It will help to make the city more vibrant, especially in the evenings.

So, as we and others face homelessness pressures because of migration or simply cost of living pressures, we are doing what we can to make housing available for as many as possible who have a need.