A HOUSE has been renovated to provide a place for homeless families.

Workmen have spent three weeks renovating the three bedroom terraced house in Link Road, Canvey, sparking fears the house might be being converted into a bail hostel.

Families living nearby complained to Canvey councillors Ray Howard, Dave Blackwell and Neville Watson who have been reassured by Castle Point Council’s head of housing Steve Rogers, it would not be used as a bail hostel.

Mr Howard, who is Castle Point’s councillor responsible for the environment, said: “Dave, myself and Neville must have had a dozen families come to see us over the weekend asking about this.

“I got straight on to Steve Rogers at Castle Point and am relieved to confirm this house is only going to be let to homeless people, until suitable accommodation can be found for them, and nothing else.”

The home has been used to house homeless families over the past 15 years from the council’s housing waiting list.

Two neighbouring residents who spoke to the Echo yesterday, but asked to remain anonymous, said they would have no problem with this continuing.

One of them said: “We’ve had homeless families staying there for years, so that would be fine.

“What set the alarm bells off was when the workmen took out all the old wooden doors inside and replaced them with big, secure looking fire doors. You wonder ‘why are they doing that?’ “Then a workman said to my neighbour ‘I pity all of you round here because there are going to be re-offenders moving in here’.

“That obviously really worried everyone, but hopefully it will all be OK.”