A resettlement plan for Kosovar refugees being worked out in Yorkshire could be a blueprint for other areas
In Leeds, the first group of 161 refugees, who arrived this week, are currently staying in two disused old people's homes in the city and could be there for several months while details are finalised.

Meanwhile ten more reception areas for refugees fleeing the conflict have been identified. They are Liverpool, Manchester, Derby, Nottingham, Newcastle, Bradford, Sheffield, Birmingham, Coventry and Northampton.

Leeds council, the Housing Corporation, local associations and the Refugee Council are working on a strategy which would see the development of significantly-sized Albanian communities based on village ties.

Leeds council emergency services group manager Tom Wiltshire told Housing Today refugees would stay with relatives in other parts of the country if they had any.

But the others would be housed in areas with adjacent empty houses large enough for extended families - likely to be in low demand social housing estates.

He said: "We would look to house people in a reasonably grouped manner, in effect forming a community, so that we are not isolating them."

The Local Government Associations has revealed that "literally dozens" of councils responded to a call for bed spaces earlier this month (Housing Today issue 127), and that over 3,000 spaces had been found.

Project leader Mike Boyle said: "This is a magnificent response and I think that what this does demonstrate is that at times of crisis, authorities can quickly and appropriately offer support to central government."

Source

Housing Today