AN OUTDOOR education centre in Monmouthshire could be used as temporary emergency accommodation for homeless people during the coronavirus crisis.

However furious local residents say they only found out about the proposal for Gilwern Outdoor Education Centre via an online news outlet on Tuesday.

Jonathan Crawley, of the Residents Association at Crawshay Bailey Close next door to Gilwern OEC said it stated within the council meeting minutes on the MCC website that residents living near the centre have been informed.

’’Nobody in Crawshay Bailey Close or Oak Tree Lane had the faintest idea, and those are the only houses nearby.

’’After residents got wind of this story and started bombarding our county councillor Jane Pratt with complaints, MCC hastily drafted a letter on Tuesday evening that was hand delivered to residents on Wednesday, informing us of the decision.

’’However the fact that MCC feel the need to budget £68,000 for security guards for this project is evidence enough that the people to be housed there will pose a risk to others immediately around them.

’’We are an estate with about 20 young children, and parents in particular are furious.

’’Crawshay Bailey Close is a private site as MCC did not adopt it. So the street, park, etc, are owned by the residents. We’ve obviously had no assurance from MCC about how they propose to guarantee that the people being invited by MCC to live next door will not enter the estate.

’’Due to social restrictions, it seems very unlikely that the usual groups of school children will be visiting the OEC until well into the winter or beyond. As such, we have no faith in the suggestion that our new neighbours will be gone by August 21st. Again, we’re convinced that MCC are not telling the truth,’’ said Mr Crawley.

The proposal to house homeless people at the centre would help tackle a shortage of such accommodation as the county council tries to find homes for increasing numbers of vulnerable people coming forward.

Welsh Government guidance requires councils to safely house and support those who are rough sleeping as a result of the pandemic, to protect them and the wider community.

The facilities at Gilwern Outdoor Education Centre are suited to providing hostel type accommodation due to the availability of a shared kitchen and small bedrooms, a report says.

It is planned to use the centre to house the homeless until August 21, with a maximum of nine residents.

But its rural location is considered “too remote” to provide permanent accommodation.

Housing support will be provided to residents at the centre, which will also have 24-hour security established.

A council report shows the need for accommodation for homeless people in Monmouthshire has “risen significantly.”

Since March 23, the council has made 101 offers of accommodation to vulnerable people, equating to 14 per week which is around three times the normal amount.

But while the council has managed to secure additional accommodation, a report shows it is at capacity with a risk the authority will not be able to meet future demand.

“Due to the increase in numbers needing accommodation, the current ability to assist people with accommodation has become extremely challenging due to the lack of accommodation,” the report says.

“This has been compounded by the closure of one local B & B establishment, a request from Newport City Council to move Monmouthshire applicants out of Newport to enable them to address their own accommodation demand, and the availability of social housing through the Homesearch partnership has virtually disappeared.”

Homeless applicants are now “bottle-necking in temporary accommodation” due to the lack of social and private sector accommodation, the report says.

This includes 28 applicants currently in bed and breakfast accommodation, with the number expected to rise.

The majority of people recently applying for accommodation have been single males, including some who have mental health, substance abuse and offending behaviour issues.

Some have been rough sleepers and those applying have been as young as 16-years-old.

Monmouthshire council’s cabinet will consider approving the use of the Gilwern centre as emergency accommodation at a meeting on Wednesday (May 27).