By John Baron
Empty student halls of residences in Kirkstall could be transformed into accommodation for care leavers and homeless families, if a new scheme by cash-strapped Leeds City Council becomes reality.
A Leeds City Council report published this week says the scheme would transform three empty halls at the former Kirkstall Brewery site off Broad Lane into temporary accommodation to house young adult care leavers aged 18 and above and homeless families. The proposals centre around The Maltings, Canal House and Abbey House halls.
On young care leavers, the report states: “The Children and Families Directorate continues to experience significant demand pressures and increasing level of complexity of individuals requiring support.
“The Directorate faces significant financial challenges given the very high cost of residential accommodation, particularly that provided by the private sector, it is therefore critically important that the correct accommodation is matched to individual need thereby reducing direct costs of support.”
Regarding homeless families, the report adds: “The service is increasingly struggling to fulfil its statutory duty to place families into temporary accommodation as numbers rise. The use of bed and breakfast and expensive night by night accommodation models are putting a significant pressure on the financial challenge due to the increase in housing benefit subsidy loss.”
As part of the first phase of the scheme, the council proposes entering into a lease arrangement to offer 66 beds to house care leavers, aged 18 plus who are currently in education or training.
A planning application will then be submitted jointly by the council and developer/owner of the accommodation to allow for a change of use of the buildings from student accommodation.
The second phase includes improvements more suited to daily life than currently available in bed and breakfast accommodation. This includes the provision of kitchen and dining facilities, and on-site support. The report adds: “The proposal would, if approved, deliver significant financial savings to the Directorate as the accommodation would be less costly than current arrangements and would therefore entail a reduced level of Housing Benefit subsidy.”
An additional lease for a further number of units (comprising of 176 beds) would follow the successful outcome of the planning application.
The report adds: “Housing would centre on family use, the vast majority of families would be provided with self-contained accommodation, this would provide bedrooms, kitchen facilities and daytime space.”
The net savings are expected to be £1.5m in 24/25 and £2.2m in 25/26.
The report can be found here.
The brewery complex was originally closed in 1983, bringing to an end a 150-year tradition of brewing in the buildings. The site stood empty and unused until it the late 1990s when it became Kirkstall Brewery Student Village, part of Leeds Metropolitan University (Leeds Beckett University, as it’s now known). The conversion was carried out by Bowman Riley Architects.
The complex had been put up for sale in 2021. It features 828 student beds across 16 buildings, but its occupancy has steadily decreased as more students make use of city centre accommodation.
I can see where they’re coming from with this, but I’m not sure that living in a complex where there are a significant number of relatively priveleged young students is ideal for homeless families or care leavers? It would need proper 24hour supervision.
“privileged young students” This is Leeds Beckett not Oxbridge! I think that they each attract a different kind of student. Also, who is to say there are still students living in this complex?
I did use the word “relatively”, and yes, I think the students are priveleged, especially compared to many homeless and care leavers. Judging by the large number of students walking about the streets adjacent to this complex I’d say there are still many of them residing there.
Not sure there are any students still there but I’m detecting a little bit of snobbery towards the recently departed Leeds Met students – it may not be Oxbridge but it’s not Scumbag College from the Young Ones University Challenge episode either (and No, I didn’t go to either – mine was a redbrick so I don’t have a dog in this race).
Good use of an underused site, as long as there is on-site support for some of the more vulnerable people who will be housed here. I know the council needs to save money, but it can’t be at the expense of the city’s most vulnerable people. Only time will tell…