An unused building in Crystal Palace will soon be a home for care leavers.

The charity has planning permission to transform a building it owns in Coxwell Road into supported accommodation with nine bedrooms and shared kitchens and bathrooms.

Croydon Council gave plans for the building on the edge of Westow Park the green light in November 2018.

And last week MP for Croydon North, steve Reed, visited the Barnardo’s Triangle community hub in the same road to hear about the plans.

The existing Windermere House which was formerly used as a skills training facility will be revamped rather than knocked down.

Known as Building Hope House it will provide semi-independent living, emergency housing and wraparound support for young people leaving care in the area.

This includes developing life skills and resilience and gaining work experience.

Young people will be encouraged to take steps towards moving into their own accommodation over a 12-month period.

It’s location is in the catchment area of five local authorities, Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark.

Rajinder Nagra, assistant director of children’s services for Barnardo’s London, said: “Building Hope is an ambitious programme that aims to support and transform the lives of vulnerable young care leavers in South London.

“Barnardo’s believes that for young people to reach their potential and have a stake in society, they need a secure and safe home, access to support and training and a route into employment.”

And Mr Reed the MP for the area and shadow minister for children and families said housing support for young care leavers is ‘desperately needed’.

He added: “There is a desperate shortage of good quality support for care leavers and I think the Building Hope programme is a fantastically innovative way to address the problem in London.”