Council buys William Booth House for £1
LOCALS WILL BE CONSULTED ON THE FORMER HOSTEL’S FUTURE
THE future of William Booth House is set to be decided following a deal to sell it to Hull City Council.
The Hessle Road hostel for rough sleepers, which has stood largely empty since last year, is due to be bought by Hull City Council from the Salvation Army for a nominal £1. A council spokesperson said they had to move quickly to buy the building and it now plans to talk to locals and others about options for its future.
But Cllr Daren Hale, of St Andrews and Docklands ward where William Booth House is located, claimed people there had been “kept in the dark” about the council’s plans. It comes after the Salvation Army decommissioned the building for use as supported accommodation in April 2023 and has been in talks with the council to transfer it.
The council has used William Booth House’s recreation room for shelter since December to house rough sleepers who legally have to be taken inside during severe weather. A council report on the sale stated the building in its current state was widely thought to be unfit to help rough sleepers recover from homelessness and the associated trauma.
It added alternatives to buying it, including the Salvation Army leasing it to a third party supported housing provider, would likely contribute to homelessness rather than resolving it. The report also raised concerns about community cohesion if the building had been leased or sold to a new owner.
The council also ruled out its use as accommodation for asylum seekers when it was in talks with the Salvation Army last year. A budget of £75,000 has been set aside to begin creating plans for its future use once it is refurbished which is likely to be as housing or accommodation.
The council has also assumed liability for the £3.1m Social Housing Grant linked to the building. Council Regeneration Portfolio Holder Cllr Paul Drake-davis said the building was a strategically important asset.
He said: “This decision prevents its immediate disposal on the open market which could result in the building being operated by a poorly-run supported accommodation provider thus exacerbating homelessness or community cohesion issues in the city. I look forward to reviewing the options for this important asset.”
St Andrews and Docklands’ Cllr Hale said the council had been silent about its plans for the future of the site. The councillor said: “We would always support the council taking over the site to stop a rogue housing provider swooping in and acquiring it.
“But any future use must be subject to full discussion and agreement with the long-suffering residents and us as their elected representatives. Residents report this area of the estate has become far quieter since this monolithic giant hostel ceased to operate, so residents understandably want a say in what comes next. Our job as councillors is to make sure the public view for this site is heard and something completely unacceptable to residents is not sneaked through.”
A council spokesperson said documents confirming the sale had been put in the public domain. The spokesperson said: “The options around the building’s use will be presented and engagement with local stakeholders, including residents will take place, ensuring all views are shared and understood.
“As a council we were aware that we needed to move quickly to secure the site, once the Salvation Army announced that they wanted to dispose of the building. Once the council owns the site, we will continue and progress determining its future use.”