The historic religious center could become housing for the homeless

A historic religious center in the heart of Leicester could be turned into housing for homeless people, documents show. An application has been submitted to Leicester City Council’s planning portal for permission to convert the Diocese of Leicester building at 6-8 St Martins into flats.

The grade II building dates from the year 18^th century and has housed doctors, an educational reformer, a campaigner for women’s suffrage and both Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council staff throughout its long history. It is currently owned by the Diocese of Leicester, who used it as a religious center until the beginning of the year.

Now the diocese has secured a lease described as “well below market average” with One Roof Leicester, with a view to the charity creating a new use for the property. Plans submitted to the council reveal plans to convert the upper floors of the building into flats to be used to house some of the city’s homeless.

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Drawings accompanying the application suggest there could be 13 apartments across the building’s three floors. The homes would be designed as a final step between assisted living and fully independent living, the charity said, and there would be strict criteria for building occupants.

Firstly, tenants should be single adults who have committed to the charity’s support and help for at least six months. They must also be free of known addictions for at least six months and have proven “to be a good neighbour” with no reports of anti-social behavior against them.

A staff from Roof Leicester will also be relocated from their current offices in Regents Road to St Martins. In addition to using the existing office space and meeting rooms in the building, the existing chapel would be redesigned as an open plan office.

Common areas will also be created within the building which would be used as social spaces and for “skills development workshops” and “support services”. One Roof Leicester said the plan would “address a critical social issue” and “set a precedent for how heritage structures can play a vital role in modern urban challenges”.

A public consultation on the plan will run until Wednesday 3 July. A target decision date has been set for Friday, July 5.