New life for pub as home for vulnerable
AFORMER Stockport pub is set to be transformed into a nine-bed home for asylum seekers and young offenders.
Plans to change the Black Lion on Middle Hillgate - most recently used as commercial offices into accommodation for 11 young people aged 16 to 24 were approved by the Central Stockport Area Committee.
The new facility will offer placements for vulnerable young people.
A planning report explains that the residents will include ‘unaccompanied asylum seeking children, young offenders and those on bail or returning into the community after leaving a youth offending institute’. Chris Saddler, manager of the premises, who has worked in children’s services for 18 years, explained that the home would help prepare the young people for independent living, helping them with tasks like job applications, writing CVs, registering with doctors, and domestic cooking and cleaning.
“I feel there are a lot of young people leaving residential care who don’t have the skills to go on to live independently,” he said.
“Most of them will fail and nine times out of 10 will end up getting in to some form of crime.”
He explained that the facility, which aims to bridge this gap, will be manned 24 hours a day, with the young people out of the home during the day, either finding work or in education.
“The young people will be monitored all the time,” he said.
“They are tied into a contact to keep noise levels down. We are looking to take on young people who want to be there.”
Coun Andy Sorton raised concerns, saying: “There’s nothing in this report that tells me that this is the right facility in the right place. The reason this application’s come forward is that they can’t rent out the office space.
“It worries me that this is being set up without asking the specialised people if this is the right place.
“I don’t want to take that chance with these vulnerable young people.”
However the committee members voted in favour of the application and Coun Sheila Bailey said: “As a facility for these young people, it has the potential to help them considerably.”