Contentious Corby homeless shelter site to become council flats

This is how the building could look once it has had its makeover

Corby Council have submitted plans to renovate the existing building - the former Champs Gym - to create five new homes to ease its long council house waiting list.

Last year, homeless charity Nightlight gained permission after a long battle to turn the building into a 39-bed homeless shelter. That plan had been opposed by local people who said that it was not an appropriate place for a shelter.

Eventually, Nightlight decided that the scheme was not viable and abandoned their plan.

Corby Nightlight's Jay Walden, Nicola Pell and Diane Boyd who planned to open a shelter at the building. Pictured in 2018.

Now, Corby Council has decided to turn the building - which it owns - into apartments for local people.

The conversion would see the building turned into one three-bedroom, two two-bedroom and two one-bedroom flats with a private garden and parking.

The building will be rendered and clad and each apartment will have its own entrance canopy.

A design and access statement submitted to planners states: "This scheme proposes a conversion to a residential use in order to provide accommodation for families on the council’s housing waiting list, including a fully wheelchair accessible apartment."

A statement from the council's own housing strategy team says: "The proposed development is consistent with the growth ambitions for the borough

"The development also helps to maintain a supply of specific deliverable sites and maintains the five year land supply. This development will create five new affordable homes which are much needed in the borough, therefore this section fully supports this application."