Council site disposals to create homes for vulnerable and homeless people

Glasgow City Council today (23 November) approved the disposal of a site in Shakespeare Street, and the beginning of negotiation for the disposal of another, in Seamill Street - that will allow housing associations to create supported accommodation for vulnerable people and housing for homeless families. Both sites are owned by the council.

The Shakespeare Street site - a former schoolhouse with garden, most recently used as short-term emergency accommodation on behalf of the Health and Social Care Partnership - is to be sold off-market to Maryhill Housing Association for £220,000.

The housing association will refurbish the property and subsequently use it as supported accommodation for vulnerable people.

The Seamill Street site - the former Nitshill Childcare Unit - is a purpose-built nine-bedroom bungalow with front and rear gardens and was recently used as short-term accommodation for children on behalf of Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). Given the limited availability of housing stock for larger families, the HSCP agreed to relinquish the property to the council's Homelessness Services team.

Following temporary placement of the current tenants into this property, a consultation was undertaken with local housing associations which found that there was no suitable social housing stock within their portfolios available for a family of this size. Therefore, it has been recommended that the property is disposed to Wheatley Homes Glasgow Limited to manage, as the council is not a registered social landlord and cannot provide this service.

A council committee agreed today to the beginning of negotiations on the disposal of this site to Wheatley Homes - the council is not a social landlord and cannot provide such social housing.

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, Convener for Neighbourhood Services and Assets at Glasgow City Council, said: "The disposal of these sites will provide accommodation for those in need and help support both vulnerable people and provide a family with a permanent home."