Plans for Vale car park to house new sleeping pods

Plans to allow the car park of Vale Douzaine to become the new home for two emergency housing sleeping pods have been put forward.

Local homeless charity Caritas said it had submitted a planning application for the installation of the self-contained one bed pods which have been developed by the UK charity Amazing Grace Spaces,

They would provide safe immediate and dignified overnight shelter for people with nowhere else to turn, project leaders said.

Caritas Guernsey chair Graham Merfield said they were not a final solution but a step while the charity worked towards building a modular housing community.

The pods are designed to be discreet and operate fully off-grid. Each unit includes a secure sleeping space, a toilet, solar power, and battery storage.

Caritas said it would provide support to help those using the pods to find longer-term accommodation and access other essential services.

Mr Merfield said: "This is really intended as just a short-term stop-gap, intended to provide accommodation for people who would the move onto more permanent accommodation.

"This is really designed for use for three to seven nights.

"We do know that people have stayed longer in them because they have had nowhere else to go, but our intention is to move people on as soon as possible."

The Vale Douzaine said: "The constables and douzaine of the Vale believe this initiative is a valuable and meaningful response to homelessness in Guernsey.

"We fully support the project and are pleased that our grounds can be used to help provide immediate, practical support to those in need."

Caritas is also due to be meeting with the States' new housing committee in the coming weeks to discuss the further uses of modular housing.

Mr Merfield told the BBC that the charity was now looking for land to set up a 12-house community, which would provide housing for those who needed for up to two years.

Caritas said it was also seeking volunteers, both individual and local companies, willing to assist with the cleaning and maintenance of the pods.

Such ongoing support would help ensure the pods remained safe, clean and welcoming to those who needed them most, project leaders said.

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