A former care home in Enderby is set to be repurposed as temporary accommodation as Blaby District Council addresses growing homelessness in the area.
Planning committee members approved a change of use application for Dallington House on Leicester Road, which will retain its 13 self-contained independent living units. Each unit includes a bed, table and chairs, kitchenette, and bathroom with shower. No internal or external alterations are planned, and communal areas and the on-site office will remain in use.
Picture credit: Unsplash
The accommodation will be made available to people on the Council’s housing register and rough sleepers. The scheme aims to reduce reliance on unsuitable bed and breakfast placements by providing more appropriate temporary housing.
In addition to housing, residents will have access to pre-tenancy workshops and support sessions designed to help them develop skills to manage their own tenancies and avoid repeat homelessness.
Council officers told the planning committee that the project would provide high-quality, self-contained accommodation, offering privacy and cooking facilities while helping limit both rough sleeping and the use of bed and breakfast accommodation.
Homelessness in Blaby has increased significantly in recent years, with the number of households supported by the Council rising by 64% over the past five years. Most affected are local individuals and families struggling with high private rents or barriers to entering the housing market.
The project aligns with the Council’s Housing Strategy 2021-26 and the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030, which prioritise the provision of suitable housing to reduce homelessness, in line with national policy.
Councillor Lee Breckon, Chairman of the Planning Committee, said: “Along with many other councils, we are seeing increasing levels of homelessness as inflation and the cost of living continue to impact families. One of our priorities for 2026-27 is to provide more temporary accommodation, ensuring vulnerable people, particularly children, are protected. As a planning committee, we were more than happy to approve this change of use.”
