New £2m flats offer for homeless

A housing project with 17 furnished flats, a play area and advice centre for homeless people opens this week.

Homeless people in Dacorum can now find help and support under one roof at The Chilterns in Northchurch, Berkhamsted.

Dacorum Borough Council with Aldwyck Housing Association knocked down the building that previously occupied the site for the flats and the centre.

Aldwyck will offer a further eight one and two-bedroom apartments for rent on the site that cost £2m to develop.

Portfolio holder for housing, Margaret Griffiths, said: "Homelessness can affect any of us, whether it's down to unemployment, relationship breakdown or financial difficulties.

"Our homeless prevention team will work with residents at The Chilterns to get them back onto their feet, back to work and to make a real difference to their lives."

The project which took 12 months to complete will be opened on Thursday by the Mayor of Dacorum, Carol Green, Aldwyck's chief executive Neil Hadden and chairman Greg Lomax with director of construction at VE Parrott (Oakley) Melvyn Parrott.