Decision details

Proposed purchase of a 134-unit City Centre Building

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Decision Maker: City Mayor (Individual Decision)

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

To seek approval to acquire a 134-unit city centre building.

Decision:

Please Note: This decision was Called-In under Rule 12 of Part 4D of the Council’s Constitution. The Call-In was considered by the Overview Select Committee at its meeting on 19 March 2025 where it was withdrawn by resolution of the Committee in accordance with Rule 12 (g) of Part 4D of the Council’s Constitution. The original decision taken on 3 March 2025 is, therefore, deemed to be revived in its entirety.

To approve the acquisition of the YoHo building as agreed in the confidential Appendix A. To be financed from the £45m budget approved by Full Council on 21^st March 2024 for property acquisitions into the General Fund.

Reasons for the decision:

To increase the supply of emergency homelessness single and childless couple accommodation and to release pressure on temporary accommodation in the Housing Register.

Alternative options:

We continue to pursue all other funding routes for the provision of additional affordable housing.

Publication date: 21/02/2025

Date of decision: 03/03/2025

Effective from: 11/03/2025

This decision has been called in by:

Councillor Patrick Kitterick who writes We the undersigned wish to call in the decision to purchase the "YoHo" building in Leicester City Centre for the following reasons. 1.This major decision has not undergone a single minute of public scrutiny. 2. The rooms provided are predominantly only 23 sqm, which is well below the National Designated Space Standards, smaller than many hotel rooms and it is envisaged that couples as well as single people will be allocated to this accommodation. 3. We understand that this accommodation will be targeted at people with substance misuse issues, and the concentration of a large amount of people with such issues in cramped quarters in a location in the city centre already blighted by anti-social behaviour will be damaging for the residents of YoHo and the wider city centre. 4. The potential support given for the vulnerable residents of YoHo will be inadequate and has not been properly considered. 5. To make this proposal work, we understand planning changes will be required which could open the door to more poor quality student accommodation being flipped into the "warehousing" of vulnerable people. 6.We understand the purchase price is well above the market rate for similar accommodation in the city centre. "
Councillor Zuffar Haq who writes We the undersigned wish to call in the decision to purchase the "YoHo" building in Leicester City Centre for the following reasons. 1.This major decision has not undergone a single minute of public scrutiny. 2. The rooms provided are predominantly only 23 sqm, which is well below the National Designated Space Standards, smaller than many hotel rooms and it is envisaged that couples as well as single people will be allocated to this accommodation. 3. We understand that this accommodation will be targeted at people with substance misuse issues, and the concentration of a large amount of people with such issues in cramped quarters in a location in the city centre already blighted by anti-social behaviour will be damaging for the residents of YoHo and the wider city centre. 4. The potential support given for the vulnerable residents of YoHo will be inadequate and has not been properly considered. 5. To make this proposal work, we understand planning changes will be required which could open the door to more poor quality student accommodation being flipped into the "warehousing" of vulnerable people. 6.We understand the purchase price is well above the market rate for similar accommodation in the city centre. "
Councillor Nigel Porter who writes We the undersigned wish to call in the decision to purchase the "YoHo" building in Leicester City Centre for the following reasons. 1.This major decision has not undergone a single minute of public scrutiny. 2. The rooms provided are predominantly only 23 sqm, which is well below the National Designated Space Standards, smaller than many hotel rooms and it is envisaged that couples as well as single people will be allocated to this accommodation. 3. We understand that this accommodation will be targeted at people with substance misuse issues, and the concentration of a large amount of people with such issues in cramped quarters in a location in the city centre already blighted by anti-social behaviour will be damaging for the residents of YoHo and the wider city centre. 4. The potential support given for the vulnerable residents of YoHo will be inadequate and has not been properly considered. 5. To make this proposal work, we understand planning changes will be required which could open the door to more poor quality student accommodation being flipped into the "warehousing" of vulnerable people. 6.We understand the purchase price is well above the market rate for similar accommodation in the city centre. "
Councillor Paul Westley who writes We the undersigned wish to call in the decision to purchase the "YoHo" building in Leicester City Centre for the following reasons. 1.This major decision has not undergone a single minute of public scrutiny. 2. The rooms provided are predominantly only 23 sqm, which is well below the National Designated Space Standards, smaller than many hotel rooms and it is envisaged that couples as well as single people will be allocated to this accommodation. 3. We understand that this accommodation will be targeted at people with substance misuse issues, and the concentration of a large amount of people with such issues in cramped quarters in a location in the city centre already blighted by anti-social behaviour will be damaging for the residents of YoHo and the wider city centre. 4. The potential support given for the vulnerable residents of YoHo will be inadequate and has not been properly considered. 5. To make this proposal work, we understand planning changes will be required which could open the door to more poor quality student accommodation being flipped into the "warehousing" of vulnerable people. 6.We understand the purchase price is well above the market rate for similar accommodation in the city centre. "
Councillor Scott Kennedy-Lount who writes We the undersigned wish to call in the decision to purchase the "YoHo" building in Leicester City Centre for the following reasons. 1.This major decision has not undergone a single minute of public scrutiny. 2. The rooms provided are predominantly only 23 sqm, which is well below the National Designated Space Standards, smaller than many hotel rooms and it is envisaged that couples as well as single people will be allocated to this accommodation. 3. We understand that this accommodation will be targeted at people with substance misuse issues, and the concentration of a large amount of people with such issues in cramped quarters in a location in the city centre already blighted by anti-social behaviour will be damaging for the residents of YoHo and the wider city centre. 4. The potential support given for the vulnerable residents of YoHo will be inadequate and has not been properly considered. 5. To make this proposal work, we understand planning changes will be required which could open the door to more poor quality student accommodation being flipped into the "warehousing" of vulnerable people. 6.We understand the purchase price is well above the market rate for similar accommodation in the city centre. "
Councillor Liz Sahu who writes We the undersigned wish to call in the decision to purchase the "YoHo" building in Leicester City Centre for the following reasons. 1.This major decision has not undergone a single minute of public scrutiny. 2. The rooms provided are predominantly only 23 sqm, which is well below the National Designated Space Standards, smaller than many hotel rooms and it is envisaged that couples as well as single people will be allocated to this accommodation. 3. We understand that this accommodation will be targeted at people with substance misuse issues, and the concentration of a large amount of people with such issues in cramped quarters in a location in the city centre already blighted by anti-social behaviour will be damaging for the residents of YoHo and the wider city centre. 4. The potential support given for the vulnerable residents of YoHo will be inadequate and has not been properly considered. 5. To make this proposal work, we understand planning changes will be required which could open the door to more poor quality student accommodation being flipped into the "warehousing" of vulnerable people. 6.We understand the purchase price is well above the market rate for similar accommodation in the city centre. "

Accompanying Documents: