Former cadet site to accommodate rough sleepers

Plans to create emergency accommodation for people sleeping rough at a former Air Training Corps site have been approved.

The application to convert the building in Nelson Way, Boston, Lincolnshire, was approved by councillors in a bid to support people sleeping rough during the winter months.

Councillors heard it would be brought into use overnight only, during periods where temperatures are forecast to be 0°C or lower for three consecutive nights.

The application for the Boston Borough Council-owned site was unanimously approved at a planning committee meeting on Tuesday.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillor Anton Dani described it as a "very noble cause".

He said: "We should support it because it will help people in winter.

"When you are outside in winter days or nights and you have nowhere to go, it's a very sad situation if nobody has been there."

It comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham made ending rough sleeping his first pledge when entering Downing Street in July.

Burnham said he did not believe "anybody should be forced to sleep rough".

Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch thelatest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices