Today, on World Homelessness Day, Emmanuel House has submitted plans to Nottingham City Council for ‘change of use’ to the first and second floors of our premises on Goose Gate. We want to create 20 bedrooms that will provide short-term emergency accommodation for people who find themselves homeless.
Our ‘New Vision’ project will have ensuite facilities, food and 24-hour support provided by our team of trained specialists.
Denis Tully, CEO at Emmanuel House, said: “Our ambition is to reduce the number of people who are homeless in Nottingham city for the benefit of individual people, the neighbourhood and for the City of Nottingham as a whole. The project fits with the city’s strategic plan to tackle homelessness. It will make a significant contribution to year-round emergency respite care.
“We have a new vision for Emmanuel House and for Nottingham’s provision to support some of its most vulnerable people. Our purpose as an organisation is to tackle isolation, vulnerability and homelessness within our community. This project is an extension of this mission.”
The project is set to cost £2 million. If planning is approved, building work will start as soon as the funding is available.
We’re delighted to be working with our project team – the plans have been submitted by CPMG Architects and the project is managed by property and construction consultancy Edge PS.
Nick Gregory, Director at CPMG, said: “I knew that Emmanuel House was an incredible organisation, but as we’ve worked with them, my admiration for their compassion and commitment to helping those in need of support has grown – they are an inspiration. I am extremely proud that we can assist in bringing these proposals forward – the impact they have will be considerable”.
Geoff Tindsley, Director at EDGE, said: “Emmanuel House makes such a difference to people in the Nottingham area, and this new accommodation offering will enhance its service further, so we’re incredibly proud to have a role in supporting this. We’re working closely alongside the Trustees to help the organisation enhance its vital services even further, and we look forward to seeing the vision become a reality.”
The plans include one-to-one meeting spaces, 24-hour security, common rooms, computer suites, consultation spaces and rooms with disabled access. The project’s second phase will include a ground floor renovation to upgrade the open-access support centre.
Denis added: “Everyday we’re reminded that homelessness can happen to anyone. This provision is for people who are in crisis and have nowhere else to go. They will be provided with support and a platform to access more secure accommodation. It will also make it easier for people who are homeless to get the services they need, such as medical care.
“Emmanuel House is delighted to be making the first step in undertaking this vital and ground-breaking project. Over the past 12 years, the Winter Shelter has provided emergency accommodation for 1621 people, of which 952 were supported in finding long-term accommodation. This on-site provision will continue to offer life-changing support to many more people in the city.”
The history of Emmanuel House’s accommodation provision
Emmanuel House has operated a Winter Shelter in community halls around Nottingham since 2006. They have gradually become a key service for homeless people during the coldest months of the year.
In March 2020 Emmanuel House’s Winter Shelter moved into a hotel under the Government’s ‘Everybody In’ initiative when the government instructed all local authorities to move all homeless people into single-room accommodation.
Emmanuel House then supported up to 50 people a night. The 24-hour wrap-around support this accommodation model offered proved invaluable. Between 27th March 2020 and 30th June 2021, Emmanuel House provided 14,325 nights’ protection at the hotel for a total of 334 people, who would otherwise have been rough sleeping. Emmanuel House supported 179 of these people into accommodation, an average of 2.73 people a week for 65.5 weeks.
This provision came to an end in 2021, but Covid-19 regulations and restricted numbers meant that a return to previous locations, which utilised a shared-space style shelter, was no longer feasible.
Emmanuel House’s New Vision for accommodation provision
The ‘New Vision’ model of single-room accommodation and 24-hour support comes from the new ambition after Covid-19 to improve provision for people who are homeless. In 2021, we struggled to find a building in Nottingham in which to put its historic Winter Shelter and we’ve been looking to find a solution within our own resources.
In order to find a new interim solution that enabled us to continue with the Winter Shelter in a socially distanced manner, accommodation was offered by The University of Nottingham at a cost-neutral rate. This allowed support work to continue during the day as guests were helped to find work, permanent accommodation and access other services. The Winter Shelter utilised an empty building on the University Campus and will be opening again in October 2022.
Along with CPMG Architects and EDGE, the project team is made up of suppliers operating from Nottingham city centre, including structural and civil engineers Hexa, and mechanical and electrical engineers Chord Consult.
How you can help
If you’d like to learn more about the project, please contact vision@emmanuelhouse.org.uk.
To keep up to date with the project, please sign up to the Emmanuel House mailing list: http://eepurl.com/dx3ERz
