Byker Bridge House based in Wilfred Street provides direct access accommodation to for 22 homeless men and women. Places at direct access services are given on a first come first served basis. When a vacancy arises we are obliged to accommodate the first homeless person who turns up. The aim of direct access accommodation is to get people off the streets and support them to move on to more settled accommodation.

Byker Bridge House has now been in operation since 1995 and although has served us well, over 1200 homeless people have stayed since opening, it is now in need of some modernisation.

Planning permission has been approved to re-provide Byker Bridge House on land opposite the existing hostel on Wilfred Street. The new accommodation will be a purpose designed and built 31 bed unit for men and women. 6 bedrooms will be accessible for residents with disabilities.

The building, over 3 floors, will provide a single bedroom with en-suite shower facilities for each residents, with a communal lounge on each floor and access to kitchen, laundry and dining room on the ground floor. The accommodation will continue to be provided on a half board basis with breakfast and evening meal.

Staff will continue to be on hand to offer support and advice on housing issues and resettlement.

This will help the city to meet the growing demands placed on provision of services to homeless people, and to meet the targets for reducing rough sleeping within the city.