A SUPPORTED housing scheme for young single homeless people in Bacup could be set up in Tong House.

Rossendale's health and housing committee, which meets on Thursday, will hear the scheme is proposed for the council-owned Tong House block in the town centre. Tong House was intended to be let to middle aged or elderly residents but it is on three floors and has no lift.

Four of the 12 flats are empty and there is no demand for them. Two have been empty since July 1999 and the block requires significant investment to refurbish the properties.

A proposal to provide supported housing has been developed by Rossendale Council, West Pennine Housing Association and Stepping Stones.

The Stepping Stones Floating Support Scheme and Housing Advice Service for single homeless people was established in 1998 using funding from the health authority and West Pennine.

Under the £4.75m Single Regeneration Budget money secured by Bacup and Stacksteads, funding is available for a support worker for Bacup.

Housing and environmental health officer David Taylor said in his report that although previously young people had been able to get tenancies in Bacup, there had often been problems associated with young people, requiring a more intensive level of housing management and tenancy related support.

He said: "For many young people it would be more appropriate for them to be accommodated in a specific accommodation scheme for a temporary period of up to 12 months to enable them to acquire sufficient life skills to cope in a local authority or other tenancy."

Councillors are being recommended to approve the proposals.