THE Simon Community say plans to open a hostel for young adults on the Glen Road is "continuing" in the wake of a security alert earlier this week.
On Tuesday, a suspicious object was reported close to the site of the proposed hostel on the Glen Road.
Some residents were forced to evacuate their homes and spend the night at a local community centre before being allowed to return home on Wednesday morning.
Sinn Féin councillor Ronan McLaughlin slammed those responsible. "Those responsible for this security alert bring nothing to this community but nuisance and disruption,"he said. "On St Patrick's Day, a day that should be one of celebration, this is causing unnecessary disruption, forcing residents out of their homes.
Police later described the suspicious object as an "elaborate hoax".
Homeless charity, the Simon Community, are proposing to temporarily move to premises adjacent to All Saints College while their current Malone Road premises undergoes much-needed redevelopment.
Some residents of the nearby Coolnasilla protested against the move on Monday evening.
In a statement, the Simon Community said plans for the move are continuing.
“PSNI attended an incident on the Glen Road on 17th March following a reported threat. We understand that, after a full investigation, no device was found and the area has now been fully reopened.
"Our plan to relocate a Young Person’s temporary accommodation service to the Glen Road is continuing, and we will always focus on the safety of our staff, young people and the wider community.”
In a letter to Glen Road residents last week the Simon Community confirmed plans to move ahead with opening the hostel for young homeless people.
"We know that the plans for this service have raised questions and concerns for some local residents," Chief Executive Jim Dennison wrote. "Over the past three months we paused our plans so we could listen to those concerns and offer more clarity on how the service will run.
"During that time, we met with residents, schools, community organisations, elected representatives and other stakeholders. I’m very grateful to everyone who took the time to meet with us and share their views. At the end of February, we also hosted a multi-agency roundtable to explore the issues in depth. A full report summarising the themes raised during this engagement is available to read here http://bit.ly/GlenRoadReport.
"These conversations highlighted that many community representatives and residents understand the purpose of the service and have offered their support. That matters our decision to move forward now reflects both the urgent need for safe accommodation for young people experiencing homelessness and our continued commitment to working positively with the community.
"Following advice from the roundtable, we will take a phased approach to opening the service. Young people will move into the Glen Road Foyer in small numbers over the coming weeks. Our staff will be on site 24 hours a day – not only to support the young people living there and manage the service safely, but also to respond quickly to any issues."
