Views are being sought over plans for temporary accommodation for homeless people to be built on a car park near Ashford town centre.

The proposed scheme would see 23 factory-produced modular homes erected on the plot on the Henwood Industrial Estate - which the local authority says is underused as a parking site.

Ashford Borough Council says the units - which will be a 'stepping stone' until individuals or households who have become homeless are able to move on to more permanent accommodation - will save taxpayers about £5.3 million over the 60-year lifespan of the project.

Cllr Paul Clokie (Con), council portfolio holder for housing, said: "People who find themselves homeless will be provided with a base upon which they can seek to find more permanent accommodation, while the taxpayer and the council reduce their ongoing financial obligation of paying for third-party temporary accommodation.

"So we are seeking to provide more short-stay temporary accommodation that means we will, in the long-term, save money and provide a better solution for those people who find themselves homeless."

Based on pre-pandemic figures, the Henwood car park is understood to operate at around 20% capacity and has been at this level for a number of years.

The 23 homes proposed for the site would be a mix of 13 one-bed, nine two-bed and one three-bed units - with a large enclosed garden to the rear and parking bays for 19 vehicles.

As the site sits within a flood zone, the homes would be constructed on top of a 2.4m platform which means they would be able to withstand even the most extreme 100-year flooding event.

Cllr Clokie said: "Under the Homelessness Reduction Act we have a legal duty to provide anybody who is homeless, or threatened with homelessness, with advice and assistance.

"This includes the provision of temporary accommodation, and we already have two short-stay accommodation facilities at Christchurch House and Christchurch Lodge.

"These have helped almost 200 households at the most vulnerable time in their lives and have given them an opportunity to start again, to progress from there into accommodation suitable for them.

"However, the council only has two eight-bed short-stay accommodation facilities, and currently there are over 100 people to whom we have accepted a homelessness duty.

"These people stay in either bed and breakfast accommodation or paid for nightly accommodation.

"On average these placements cost around £260 per week and, aside from the huge impact this has on those households, it puts a strain on the council’s finances. If we have our own facilities that can house residents, then there are benefits for everyone."

To have your say on the plans, click here