Aberdeen City Council has scrapped plans for a hostel for the homeless – just a week after taking itself to court over the scheme.
The troubled local authority will now have to rent flats and hotel rooms to keep people off the streets after its homelessness crisis reached a new low last night.
The legal battle between two council departments over plans to create the hostel at Tillydrone was branded a “scandalous” waste of public money after it was announced it would be abandoned.
Objectors to the Aberdon House plans welcomed the council’s decision to pull out last night and criticised the distress caused to pensioners and children as young as eight who were served citations to appear in court.
Housing bosses launched the court action after a decision by councillors in May to refuse a special licence for the proposed unit at Aberdon House. More than 132 people objected to the proposed hostel and were invited to appear as witnesses in court.
The council now says it will address the growing problem of homelessness by housing people who are sleeping rough in private flats.
It also proposes to convert the former St Fittick’s Hostel in Torry into accommodation.
Homelessness prevention initiatives, including a mediation service for young people having problems at home and support for those struggling to pay their rent, are also part of the plans.
Housing and environment convener Aileen Malone said last night: “The Aberdon House proposals were always intended to be a short-term fix to solve some of our homelessness issues, but our officers are now making it clear that we can make progress more quickly, more cost-effectively and longer term by concentrating on these alternative plans.
“Following the detailed assessment of the alternative proposals, including the use of St Fittick’s, I am more than satisfied that this is a commonsense solution. The building needs minimal investment to make it fit for purpose and can be delivered in a short time.”
Deputy council leader Kevin Stewart said: “We have statutory obligations to deal with the homeless situation. This is the only statutory obligation we have in terms of housing and it is our number-one priority.
“I think the agreements we have come to today will go a long way in relieving the difficulties that we have.”
However, he admitted that it was likely the council would still have to use hotels and B&Bs to house homeless people. St Fittick’s, a former hostel for ex-offenders, currently has only 14 beds.
It was revealed earlier this month that the former Oakbank School is also being considered as a potential site for a new homeless hostel.
Last night, campaigners against the Aberdon House hostel welcomed the announcement, but criticised the council’s decision to pursue legal action.
Council taxpayers are expected to be left with a £15,000 bill for the court proceedings.
Aberdeen Central Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald was among the objectors and was also cited to appear in court.
He said: “I’m delighted that the threat to Aberdon House has been removed. I take the view this appeal should never have been made. They put three generations of families though unnecessary stress and distress.
“I’m very pleased that they have realised that their position is an untenable one.
“It was a complete waste of public money, a scandalous waste.
“All the credit goes to the local community because they stood up and wouldn’t allow themselves to be bullied.”
He added that he “regretted” the decision to close St Fittick’s and feared that putting vulnerable homeless people up in flats “will not solve the problem”. Tillydrone Community Council chairman Ross Grant said families had been caused unnecessary stress by the court proceedings.
“We are extremely pleased with the decision but it is coming a bit too far down the line for our liking,” he said.
“It’s a shame that so much money was wasted on the Aberdon House appeal, which did not benefit anyone.
“It didn’t benefit the pensioners and children and the 132 people who received citations and it did not benefit the homeless either.
“We hope that the council will now move on, see sense and progress with addressing the homeless issue more constructively.”
The council came under fire from Sheriff Colin Harris last week. He said the case belonged more in the “realms of politics than the law”.
He threatened to dismiss the action at a hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Next month, a similar battle will convene in the courts after housing chiefs lodged an appeal against a decision last year by licensing committee members to refuse a licence for an existing council hostel in Crown Street.
The pending closure of the hostel prompted the council to prepare plans for Aberdon House, which it was hoped would help address a severe shortage of temporary acco-mmodation for the homeless. The council is currently in breach of housing laws bec-ause of its lack of accommo-dation for homeless people.