St Catherine’s Square is part of the solution
A Perth housing block is set to be transformed in a bid to tackle homelessness in the city.
St Catherine’s Square in the city centre currently has a number of bedsits that are used for temporary accommodation.
But as part of Perth and Kinross Council’s ‘rapid rehousing transition plan’, these bedsits will be turned into modern flats or into maisonettes.
This is part of the council’s overall aim of reducing the amount of temporary accommodation it has on offer, opting instead to offer people more stable, permanent accommodation options.
The plans were approved at a meeting of the council’s housing and communities committee on
Wednesday, January 29.
In a report presented at the meeting, it said: “Through the redesign of homeless services, a number of temporary accommodation units at St Catherine’s Square have been returned to the mainstream pool.
“The area has become stigmatised due to previous antisocial behaviour and a number of units are being held vacant.
“The regeneration of St Catherine’s is a key priority for the service.
“Building on progress to date and to support the reduction in temporary accommodation,it is proposed to further reduce the backlog of homeless households waiting for an offer accommodation, the length of stay for those households who do go into temporary accommodation, and the overall duration of homelessness from decision to discharge of duty.”
The Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group has also recommended temporary accommodation should be affordable and says legally enforceable standards should be introduced, based on the Chartered Institute of Housing or Shelter Scotland.