Leases for Glasgow West End Buildings to House Homeless People Agreed
Glasgow City Council is set to secure leases for buildings to support the homeless amid rising demand for housing solutions
Glasgow, Scotland, Homelessness, Housing Emergency, Queen Margaret Drive, Wilton Street
Glasgow: So, here’s the scoop. The city is about to finalize leases for a couple of buildings in the West End to help out the homeless. It’s all part of a bigger plan to tackle the housing crisis.
The council is looking to keep renting a place on Queen Margaret Drive, which can fit 34 folks, for another decade. They really need it since homelessness is on the rise.
They’ve also got their eyes on a townhouse on Wilton Street that can house 13 people. The idea is to move away from using those not-so-great B&Bs for temporary stays.
Using B&Bs isn’t really cutting it anymore, and the council needs to find better options for vulnerable families. They’re under pressure to make this happen.
Now, the rent for the Queen Margaret Drive spot is going up a bit, from just under £148,000 to £165,000 a year, not counting VAT. This new deal is going to be presented to the councillors next week.
As for the Wilton Street place, they’re looking at a 10-year lease for £65,000 a year, also excluding VAT. This one’s owned by Queens Cross Housing Association.
Glasgow City Council has been leasing the Queen Margaret Drive building since 1993. It was first sub-let to Glasgow Women’s Aid, and the current lease is ending soon.
The building has room for 34 people, with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. The Wilton Street house has a mix of ensuite rooms and shared bathrooms, plus a communal kitchen.
According to a report, the demand for homelessness services has shot up since the UK Government sped up asylum decisions last June. Glasgow declared a housing emergency in November 2023 because of this surge.
Officials noted that Glasgow gets the highest number of homelessness applications in Scotland, which is pretty wild considering its population size. The numbers have jumped from 9,299 requests in 2017/18 to over 13,000 this year.
They’re really feeling the heat with the number of households in B&Bs rising significantly. The report mentions that both leases will have a break option after five years, just in case.
So, that’s the latest on Glasgow’s efforts to tackle homelessness. It’s a tough situation, but they’re trying to make things better.