At cabinet this week, the Royal Borough agreed to begin the process of securing an interim operator for John West House - enabling the site to begin supporting vulnerable households sooner, ahead of the appointment of a permanent operator by April 2027.
Positioned as a cornerstone of the borough’s wider housing transformation programme, the site includes:
- A seven bed rough sleeper hostel.
- 12 modern, self contained temporary accommodation units.
- Dedicated office space for on site support teams and wider service delivery
Once operational, the facility will offer residents a stable, supportive environment designed to help them regain independence, while enabling the council to take a more proactive, preventative approach to tackling homelessness.
The move aligns with the council’s strategy to modernise housing services, improve outcomes for residents, and reduce long term costs by providing high quality, purpose built accommodation rather than relying on expensive short term placements.
Cllr Catherine del Campo, Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Housing Delivery & Health, said: “This is an important milestone for the borough and a clear demonstration of our commitment to responsible, forward thinking housing solutions.
“By combining high quality accommodation with dedicated on site support, we are creating a safe and stable environment for people at some of the most challenging moments in their lives, whilst allowing them to remain in the Borough and close to their support networks.
“This decision moves us another step closer to delivering long term, sustainable outcomes for individuals and families across the borough, while ensuring we can respond quickly to immediate need.”
John West House is expected to begin supporting residents as soon as an interim operator is appointed.