close up view of exterior of Ribbon Court

Accommodation that is urgently needed for Coventry families, who face homelessness, has been approved by the Council in a building formerly used for sheltered accommodation.

Fifty flats are planned to house homeless families at Ribbon Court in Foleshill.

Cllr Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: “We have temporary accommodation at different sites across the city to support some of our most vulnerable families. Currently there are 935 families who are living in temporary accommodation provided by the Council.

“In the long term we want them to live in more permanent accommodation but there is a really high demand for both social housing and private rented homes in the city.”

The site is an existing building built as purpose-built flats for sheltered accommodation for older persons. The planning application seeks to change the use to one of temporary accommodation to house families that are considered homeless by the City Council. The change of use was approved last week at the Council’s planning committee.

Reassurances were given to local people who presented a petition with concerns about the impact of the building.

A spokesperson from housing association, GreenSquareAccord, which owns the building, said: “We are pleased the change of use of Ribbon Court has been approved and that we can now move ahead with our plans to provide much-needed accommodation for families across Coventry in partnership with Coventry City Council.”

Admission to Ribbon Court will be managed through Coventry City Council’s housing service.

Families in need of accommodation will be assessed, and appropriate referrals will be made. Occupants will sign licence agreements, which include strict conditions for occupancy, parking use, and visitor policies. Breaches of these agreements may lead to termination of the licence. The building will operate a no visitor policy, ensuring that only authorised professionals can enter.

 

Published: Tuesday, 17th December 2024