EMERGENCY accommodation for some of Blackburn with Darwen's most vulnerable homeless people will be retained for another winter.

Councillors have extended the planning permission for 10 sleeping and two dining 'pods' until the end of March in the grounds of the former Shadsworth Leisure Centre.

Under the authority's 'severe weather exposure provision', the sleeping pods have been provided at the Shadsworth site for a number of years.

On Thursday night the council's planning committee approved and extension to the approval for the pods until March 31.

Now its housing needs team will allocate the pods to vulnerable people and rough sleepers throughout the winter.

The pods are covered by CCTV and lighting and two dining areas are provided alongside the sleeping arrangements, according to the plans.

It is envisaged that the pods, all reached by a timber rail and small flight of steps to a key-coded door, will be in situ from November 14 to March 14.

Previous plans for the accommodation has detailed how a single bedroom and toilet/shower room is provided within each sleeper pod.

And a kitchenette and dining area is provided in each dining pod.

The new approval is for 10 sleeper pods and two diner pods.

The sleeper pods are arranged in a linear formation with the diner pods positioned to the east edge of the site.

While there is no disabled access to the pods there are alternative accessible provisions made elsewhere in the borough as part of the same winter programme.

The pods were first rolled out by the council in 2020 as part of pandemic homeless provisions.

Residents living in the pods have benefitted in the past from wraparound support available at the site every day to help with addiction and mental health issues with a support network and pathway to a permanent home.

The leisure centre is currently vacant and is scheduled for demolition.