A five year action plan to find permanent shelter for homeless people has been approved.

The plan is designed to stop homeless people from having to find shelter in temporary accommodation and hotels.

Councillors said it would stop homeless people relying on the Bellgrove Hotel, which has become well-known as a place for homeless people to stay.

One councillor described the Bellgrove as "a well-documented example of what we don’t want".

Following the Scottish Government’s objective to eradicate homelessness throughout the country, Glasgow City Council has been working on its own strategy.

The plan is expected to cost the council £18 million. The local authority receives at least 5300 homeless applications each year.

The issue was discussed at the city administration committee on Thursday afternoon.

Councillor Mhairi Hunter said: “The plan was prepared for the Scottish Government who have required every local authority to develop a rapid rehousing transition plan which sets out the five-year transition to securing settled housing for all homeless households as quickly as possible.

“We hope the outcome will mean the use of temporary accommodation is minimised. In order to develop the plan we have engaged with a range of stakeholders and those who have experienced homelessness.

“Rapid rehousing is a central pillar in the wider strategy to tackle homelessness across the city.

“It is also intended that we will ensure there is no longer any need for private hotels, for example the Bellgrove, which has been a longstanding issue. We don’t refer people to the Bellgrove.”

Members agreed it was important to prevent people in this situation from staying in hotels long-term but to find them housing instead.

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Councillor Matt Kerr said: “The Bellgrove is a well-documented example of what we don’t want. It has been a struggle within the department for many years to try and divert people away from there.

“The issue has always been that there are people who sadly choose to go there.

“They need different options. How do we take this to the next level? We can’t force them not to go there.”

A council officer said: “Our plans are a combination of looking at some of the things we haven’t tried before. We are looking at the managed alcohol programme and we are sure we are going to be successful in attracting funding from the Scottish Government.

“The programme allows them to continue to drink in a harm reduced approach and we know that alcohol addiction is much greater for people going to the Bellgrove than drug addiction.

“We have managed to sustain a couple of people who have never had their own tenancies who are in their 40s.”

Members agreed the strategy unanimously.