PLANS for six new emergency beds at James Lee House to 'help address the increase in homelessness' in Warrington are set to be approved.

Your Housing Group's application to convert the Brick Street homeless hostel's chapel and meeting room into six emergency overnight bedrooms, as well as to develop a fire door and four new windows, will come before the development management committee on Wednesday.

A decision was deferred by councillors in November following fears that the beds at the council-owned site could replace the Room at the Inn homeless shelter, on Winmarleigh Street.

And it was the same outcome at the committee's meeting in December due to a 'lack of details'.

The application has been amended, with the previously proposed eight beds reduced to six, to take account of concerns over room sizes.

James Lee House is managed and run by The Salvation Army and provides 54 units of supported accommodation.

The Salvation Army is commissioned by the council to offer supported accommodation for single homeless people with 24-7 staffing.

The authority's public health team believes the six beds are 'key to helping address the increase in homelessness in the borough and the challenges of rough sleeping as accepted by the Homeless Commission Priority Action Group'.

In a statement to the committee, it added: "This proposal for direct access bed provision is an integral aspect of Warrington's homelessness strategy and would be a key resource in its severe weather emergency protocol.

"This information is in addition to that provided earlier in the application process, namely: The council's public health department has the strategic responsibility for substance misuse including the development and delivery on local drug and alcohol strategies, as well as commissioning services a wide range of services for drug and alcohol users.

"The importance of immediate access to housing is critical to substance misusers."

The authority says the proposal would deliver facilities to provide overnight accommodation and other interventions for 'some of the most vulnerable people in society'.

Members are recommended to approve the application, subject to conditions.