West Lothian Council has finally found a home for new flats for young homeless people, more than four years after the plans were first tabled .
There is a desperate shortage of supported accommodation for young people, with almost 400 on the housing list - a third of those classed as homeless in West Lothian - in the 16 to 24 age group.
West Lothian’s Council Executive this week approved plans for 28 flats to be built on a vacant site at Almondvale Crescent, Livingston.
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The site borders the centre of the town. Housing officers studied three sites. The one recommended - on vacant land behind a hotel and the Tony Macaroni restaurant in central Livingston - as well as the former Beatlie school Campus and the former Cedarbank school.
The £4 million development will provide accommodation for young people requiring supported and temporary accommodation. The new unit will replace the former housing facility at Newlands House, Bathgate, as well as provide additional accommodation.
The new development will have 12 one bedroom flats with onsite support and up to 16 one bedroom mainstream flats.
Detailed designs will now be developed and it is expected that work will begin towards the end of 2023.
In a report to the Executive, Katy McBride, a housing manager, said that funding had been in place for the new flats since 2018. Plans to develop a site in Nellburn Road in northern Livingston had been rejected by the planning committee in 2021.
Local members were critical of the loss of open space which was used by the community for gala days, and the proximity of licensed premises.
She added: “West Lothian has a high rate of youth homelessness in Scotland at 19.2 per 1,000 households, and has a history of significant numbers of homeless presentations by young people.”
In the last year there were 396 applicants for housing in the 16 to 24 age group. That figure represents a third of all homeless in West Lothian, compared to national figures for the age group of just under a quarter of all homeless.
Ms McBride added: “The site is close to amenities with West Lothian College, St John’s Hospital, Livingston transport hub and the Almondvale Centre within walking distance. The site’s town centre location in Livingston is in a more preferable location.”
Her report concluded: “The provision of additional housing for young people is urgently required to meet the needs of the young people of West Lothian. The three options outlined within the report provide alternative solutions for the delivery of the project. Option 1, Almondvale Crescent, is the preferred site to meet this need as it is the most viable option in terms of planning, site constraints and timescales.”
Executive Councillor for services for the community, George Paul added: “I am pleased that these plans have been agreed and believe it is vital that we continue to support young people who are experiencing hardship and cannot find alternative accommodation.
“The site we have chosen is close to amenities with the college, hospital, transport and shopping facilities all within walking distance. These are all important factors in choosing a site that is specifically designed to help young people in need.”
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