Paignton guest house and holiday flats to become YMCA homes?

Local young people could benefit from new plans

A Paignton guest house and a block of holiday apartments next door could be turned into supported housing for local young people.

The YMCA is behind both applications, for the Seacroft Guest House and the Holly-Lets Apartments in Sands Road.

Torbay Council’s planning committee will be recommended to say yes to both when it meets next week, although councillors will have to look closely at how the developments will affect the town’s tourism offer.

The council is already pioneering a ‘Hotels to Homes’ project aimed at turning derelict hotels and guest houses into much-needed accommodation. However, the properties in Sands Road would not fit into that category.

At the Seacroft, the YMCA Exeter would manage nine single bedrooms with some communal facilities.

The occupants would be young people aged between 18 and 25 who have a direct connection to Torbay. They would get support finding jobs, training and education, backed by support workers.

Most would be there less than 18 months, and council officers say the proposal would be a ‘key element’ in the local authority’s strategy ofor homelessness and rough sleeping.

There have been five public objections and four letters of support.

YMCA Exeter is also behind the application for Holly-Lets next door. This would provide temporary supported accommodation in five self-contained units with kitchens/living rooms, bathrooms and bedrooms, along with three other bedrooms using communal facilities.

The property would be affordable, supported housing let at social rents, again for young people aged between 18 and 25 who have a direct Torbay connection. They would receive the same support as their next-door neighbours over the same period.

Staff on both sites would be there from 9am to 10pm and on-call out-of-hours.

Eleven letters of objection and five of support have been received for the Holly-Lets application.

Last year the planning committee rejected a proposal to turn the Three Palms Hotel in Sands Road into supported accommodation for vulnerable people.

The Westward Housing Group wanted to adapt the hotel into 10 single-bedroom supported flats for people with mental health needs, saying there was an acute need for such facilities.

But councillors decided the Three Palms was in the town’s tourism ‘core’ and could still have a future as holiday accommodation.