Gedney Hill Project Dignity facility set for approval by South Holland District Council

A new facility to support homeless veterans and reintegrate them back into society looks set to finally be approved this week.

Plans have been submitted to use land on Station Road in Gedney Hill for the stationing of accommodation and a reintegration facility for armed forces veterans.

The initiative, Project Dignity, will be presented again to the South Holland District Council Planning Committee on Wednesday. Members placed the scheme on ice last July after asking for more detail on how vulnerable veterans would be cared for.

The idea has been developed by John Murray and his partner Mel Shephard.

Mr Murray said it was a ‘direct response to the number of homeless ex-servicemen in Lincolnshire and the need to provide a co-ordinated and concentrated effort to assist their reintroduction into society’.

Mr Murray is also a member of Christian charity the Knights Templar Great Britain.

The proposed facility intends to provide temporary accommodation for up to six individuals over a 12-month period, offering veterans employment opportunities, safe living arrangements, and specialised support to aid their transition back into civilian life.

The inclusion of a manager’s accommodation building on-site will ensure round-the-clock assistance for those residing at the facility – which aims to a familiar ‘barracks-style’ setting.

Recommending approval, officers said: “The aim of the project is to provide temporary accommodation … where they can receive psychological, physical and emotional support as well as aiding them in finding employment.”

The developers argued that given the proposal’s objective of supporting homeless veterans, a countryside location would be justified to ensure peace and quiet.

Officers agreed, adding: “Given the proposal seeks to provide temporary, assisted accommodation in a quiet and safe environment with the aim of reintegrating homeless veterans into society with employment, it is considered that a countryside location is suitable.

“Overall, the scale and design of the proposed development is considered to be acceptable and would safeguard the rural character of the area.”

The site would be accessed via an existing access off Station Road and includes off-street car parking provision.

According to the report, the proposed buildings would be single storey in height, be of a flat-roof design and measure 13.4m by 5.1m with a height of 3m.

If approved, a planning condition would be applied to the site asking for the buildings to be removed from the site before five years from the date of permission, and the site reinstated to its former condition.