Controversial 140-bed hotel to be used to house homeless people in Milton Keynes
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Harben House hotel in Tickford Street, Newport Pagnell, is to provide temporary accommodation for people and families in need, MK City Council has this week decided.
It will be used for for single households with no history of drug and/or alcohol use, childless couples or households of one adult and one child.
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Hide AdCurrently there 400 such households across Milton Keynes who could benefit from the new scheme.


The hotel was succesfully used in 2021 to take in dozens of refugee families from Afghanstan. They were welcomed with open arms bhy the town and many stayed for up to two years before being found permanant housing.
But then last summer it was announced the premises would be used to house up to 200 asylum seekers under a new multi million pound contract from the government.
However, problems began almost immediately when the Citizen revealed the hotel’s owner had previous convictions and a prison sentence for offences, including perverting the course of justice and forging documents. This resulted in the contract being terminated.
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Hide AdNow the city’s Labour-run council has come up with the new plan to use the place to help local people.
They say the demand and costs of temporary accommodation in MK has increased substantially in recent years and it is continuing to rise.
The council has been exploring lower cost, alternative models of solving the problem. By providing the temporary accommodation at Harben House, in one place, the council says it will be able to support residents more closely during their assessment period
Councillor Ed Hume, Cabinet member for Housing said: “Everybody has the right to a home and by delivering short term accommodation for families in need at Harben House, we can ensure families have a safe and well-kept place to stay throughout what is a very stressful period for them.
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Hide Ad“I am glad to see Harben House being utilised in a way that will help our residents while they are being assessed for settled accommodation. Labour Milton Keynes City Council is committed to reducing the use and length of stay of temporary accommodation for homeless households.”