A charity has been given the nod to turn a former hotel into year-round emergency accommodation for the homeless, as bosses sought to address residents’ concerns over anti-social behaviour.

The Rainbow Centre in Folkestone says guests at the old Hamlet Hotel in Shakespeare Terrace will be assessed thoroughly to ensure there is a “very low risk” of disruption and they will not be “lying drunkenly on the streets.”

The scheme, which will see the Hamlet converted into a 17-bed HMO (house in multiple occupation) last year was approved by Folkestone and Hythe’s District Council’s (FHDC) planning meeting last week.

The Rainbow Centre says the HMO will be for single adults over 18, and will meet a need in the town for emergency accommodation. The permanent facility will replace the charity’s winter shelter.

There will be a live-in concierge at the property, with support staff operating from its office 300 metres away.

Some residents raised concerns about the HMO’s impact, with two objections on FHDC’s planning portal labelling it inappropriate and fearing a rise in anti-social behaviour.

Speaking at the meeting last Tuesday, Folkestone resident Philip Carter said: “We feel there will be harm to our residential amenity caused by an increase in noise and disturbance. Already, we have the Windsor Hotel and a late-night bar open until 1.30am.

“There are a lot of drunken problems on The Leas, and anti-social behaviour is a regular occurrence, which we feel was dismissed as not a planning issue.”

“It’s also stated the loss of visitor accommodation is outweighed by the service provided, but we feel it is inappropriate to override residents' concerns.”

Chair of the charity, Dr Peter Le Feuvre, sought to address such worries.

He explained: “If we go out on our streets tonight, we’re going to find eight, 10, perhaps 12 people sleeping rough, and it shouldn’t be like this. This proposal responds to the significant lack of emergency accommodation for people in our town in, from our perspective, the perfect build to fully satisfy their needs.

“We have run a winter shelter for the last 14 years. During that time the police have never been called to any noise or anti-social behaviour concerns.

“The folks in our centre have experience in understanding homeless people and their needs. Often, these people are going out to work. They are not lying drunkenly on the streets.

“We have a robust selection process and anyone that does cause concern gets thrown out as simply as that.”

Dr Le Feuvre also pointed to the lack of viability for hotels in the area, with five on the market in the town.

Members of the committee were keen to show their support for the project.

Cllr Polly Blakemore (Green) said: “It goes without saying it ties in with our homelessness prevention strategy. We don’t have any other provision for single people in the district.

‘The need for such facilities has only increased. So what are we waiting for...’

“As we all know the need for such facilities has only increased. So, really, what are we waiting for?”

FHDC unanimously voted to approve the new scheme.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

Reacting to the decision, Dr Le Feuvre, added: “The amount of support in the building was really gratifying, and we are very pleased with the decision.

“After a three-year search, we now have a building to really respond to folks’ needs and begin to accommodate single people experiencing homelessness.

“I hope I was able to reassure residents that any guests using our services will be really well screened to ensure they are at very low risk of causing disruption.

“Our experience is that a number of people on the streets are down on their luck. Perhaps they’ve lost a relationship, job or health - people can be three steps away from having a reasonably comfortable, calm life to being on the streets.”

Emergency accommodation is for people who are experiencing homelessness and need immediate assistance, while supported housing is for people who need additional support to live independently.