Positive response to hostel plans

A �3m upgrade to a Great Yarmouth hostel for the homeless received a positive response from the public at a consultation event on Wednesday.Grade II listed Bauleah House, in St Nicholas Road, was opened to those wishing to learn more about the plans to modernise the hostel's ageing facilities and increase the number of rooms from 26 to 30.

A �3m upgrade to a Great Yarmouth hostel for the homeless received a positive response from the public at a consultation event on Wednesday.

Grade II listed Bauleah House, in St Nicholas Road, was opened to those wishing to learn more about the plans to modernise the hostel's ageing facilities and increase the number of rooms from 26 to 30.

Gaynor Collin, business manager at Herring House Trust the hostel's owner, was present for the consultation along with Ed Mumford-Smith from Broadland Housing Group and John Dixon, one of the project's architects.

Mr Dixon explained a two storey section of the building on the Manby Road side was going to be demolished to make way for modern en-suite rooms . The listed part of the building, which dates back to 1894, will not be touched.

He said new training rooms would also be developed with the aim to get the hostel's residents back on the path to work or training so they can eventually live independently.

Fifteen visitors had inspected the plans within an hour of the consultation's launch at 3pm.

He said: “The majority of the people who visited today seemed quite pleased with the scheme.”

A planning application for the redevelopment will be submitted to Yarmouth Borough Council in September.