A student block in Swansea is set to become a lifeline for those in urgent need of housing! The Pobl Group, in collaboration with Swansea Council, is planning to transform the six-storey building on St Helen’s Road into temporary accommodation, easing the burden on the city’s overwhelmed housing system.
This change emerged when a student noticed a notification about the re-purposing. She expressed concern about student residents like herself, saying, “The day I saw the notification was the day after I had paid my deposit for next year.” Talk about a curveball!
Originally built as offices, the building was turned into student digs back in 2016. Fast forward to today, and the plan is to adapt most of it for temporary housing, maintaining 76 studios with 24/7 on-site management. The change is crucial as 341 households in Swansea are currently staying in various temporary accommodations like B&Bs.
Councillor Andrea Williams stressed the urgency, noting this is the highest number of temporary accommodations seen in Swansea, and self-contained studios are a big step up from bed and breakfast living. Excitingly, the renters will also be eligible for housing benefits, unlike those in B&Bs, making this initiative a positive shift.
After thorough discussions at the council committee meeting, which touched on the future of current student residents and the management of the facilities, the committee gave the green light with a 10 to one vote. This decision aligns with another newly-converted building, Llys Glas, which also started housing people in need this week.
What do you think about this shift in focus for the building? Let us know your thoughts!