Ten bedroom house to be bought for emergency accommodation

A ten-bedroom house in Horley is to be turned into emergency accommodation for those in need. it has been announced.

Reigate and Banstead Council’s Executive agreed to buy the property at a meeting last week, paying for the house with funds collected from new developments.

The cost of the guesthouse, together with surveys. alterations and planning costs is anticipated to be about £1.1million, according to a council spokesperson.

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Councillor Natalie Bramhall, executive member for property, said: “Addressing the rise in homelessness in the borough and the resulting costs from the increased use of emergency accommodation is an absolute necessity.

“Using funds collected from developers in a targeted way to acquire our own emergency accommodation is the most sensible way to do this.

“It will enable us to temporarily house more vulnerable households within the borough, rather than sending them outside the area while their cases are reviewed.

“It would significantly reduce our expenditure on emergency accommodation and in addition, generate an ongoing source of income to fund the management of the property.”

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High quality CCTV in communal areas and externally would be installed as part of the project.

Once in use, it is estimated that the premises would save around £170,600 from the Council’s temporary accommodation bill and generate approximately £93,800 in income per year, according to a council spokesperosn.

The money would be reinvested to cover the management and running costs of the Council’s temporary accommodation.

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