A plan to turn two commercial properties into residential properties for refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine is under consideration by Trafford Council.

The borough is home to around 10 Afghan households and around 82 Ukrainian households as a result of resettlement schemes since the start of last year.

At the end of last year the UK Government launched the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) to accommodate these refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine. Trafford Council was awarded around £4 million across two rounds and the authority borrowed around £4 million in addition.

Now there is a plan to turn two commercial properties, units at the Grafton Centre in Altrincham and units on Crofts Bank Road in Urmston, into residential properties, as well as to purchase other properties on the market. A report recommends its approval it when the executive meets at the town hall on Monday.

A report reads: "The other option is for the council not to provide additional accommodation and to source existing accommodation to house both cohorts. 

"However, in light of the lack of existing supply in the borough which cannot meet current demand let alone additional demand, this is not a viable option."

One complication is the units at the Grafton Centre and the units on Crofts Bank Road contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a type of concrete prone to collapse which is at the centre of controversy this month due to its presence in schools.

A memo seen by The Messenger suggests the RAAC in Altrincham – where there is a plan for 10 apartments – is in areas which are "unused", while the RAAC in Urmston – where there is a plan for three apartments – is "safe". 

Meena Minnis, a Lib Dem councillor, said: "On the one hand the council are saying some unused units of Grafton Mall contain RAAC which needs replacing. On the other hand the council are thinking of housing Ukrainians in one of the unused units. We want assurances there is no risk.

"The Lib Dems have written to chief officers at the council requesting further information about the state of the concrete at Grafton Mall. We will be scrutinising this situation closely when Trafford Labour take a decision next week."

Meanwhile the council is planning on purchasing four houses in Partington and Urmston as well as a number of apartments at Sibson House next to Stanley Square shopping centre. It remains on the lookout for another four houses.

All properties are to become supported accommodation once their use as temporary accommodation for refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine is at an end.
 

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.