Lodging house tenants face homelessness

FIVE people could be left homeless after the Environment Department said it was illegal for them to live in staff accommodation temporarily.

The department said staff accommodation was the wrong use class for people living in St Martin's Residential, who have until tomorrow to find new homes before the lodging house closes.

Manager Malcolm Davies, who also runs Hotel Hougue du Pommier, has been working with tenants to find accommodation and had offered for some of them the chance to stay in empty staff accommodation at the hotel over the winter.

Mr Davies said the Housing Department had been grateful that he was going to provide some accommodation.

But the planning department said it was concerned the move would eventually lead to the loss of the entire hotel from the visitor economy.