Purpose built youth centre moves step closer

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Tuesday, 17 December 2019 19:51

By Andrew Morris - Local Democracy Reporter

A shake-up in care services could see a single youth centre open in a town, along with supported living accommodation.

Shropshire Council’s cabinet heard plans for a single youth centre site in Bridgnorth.

The council currently has two sites on Innage Lane in the town – an adult day care centre and a youth service centre.

Under plans, it is proposed to close them and open a new single site youth centre.

The initial plans were heard by cabinet on Monday.

Tim Smith, assistant director of adult social care services, said: “Both the youth service/early help services and adult day care service (known as Innage Lane Day Services) presently operate at separate locations at Innage Lane, Bridgnorth approximately 500 metres apart.

“There is a potential opportunity for the existing youth, early help and day care services to be co-located at one location in a purpose built new facility at the existing youth centre site.

“This opportunity also has the scope to deliver additional capacity in the form of supported living accommodation at both the youth centre site and potentially at the current day services site as well as providing additional general needs housing in Bridgnorth. 

“The youth centre building currently has limited use, mainly during evenings for youth activities but has been utilised more recently as an early help family hub to reflect the provision of additional children related services and space for partners. 

“It has significant outside space which is currently underutilised. 

“Comprehensive consultation with users of the Innage Lane buildings and other interested parties was undertaken. 

“Subsequently a review of findings was undertaken with a focus on wider opportunities to redevelop the site more comprehensively with a potential mix of supported living units, adult day services and children’s and youth services.

“This could enable Shropshire Council to further reduce its future revenue burden by consolidating services and to attract capital investment for a wider scheme. 

“It was recognised that the model being considered could provide future space for partner organisations to create integrated day services accommodation for Bridgnorth.

“This seeks to agree the key next steps which involve formally declaring the site, in its current form as surplus to requirements and to agree that the disposal process will be further developed to explore and finalise the future opportunities for redevelopment of the site in order to generate value such that any new owner could develop out housing on part of the site to generate a capital return. 

“In financial terms, this could facilitate the construction of replacement facilities without the need for any capital investment from the council.

“In summary the potential for disposal of the council’s land through a property disposal could allow a social landlord or developer to unlock the value of the site through the subsequent development of part of the site for housing and then the reinvestment in new facilities on the other part of the land. 

“This could mitigate capital investment together with potentially reducing any future revenue burden.”

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