Midlothian Council will hold three consultation events next week to discuss plans to convert a former care home into bed and breakfast accommodation for the homeless community.

Pentland House, the abandoned former council operated care home building, could be revived to provide temporary living space for tens of homeless families, should the council’s plans meet the approval of the public.

Three consultation events are planned for Monday 29 September (10am-1pm), Wednesday 1 October (4pm-7pm) and Thursday 2 October (2pm-5pm). All of these will take place within Pentland House itself.

Despite concerns from some members of the local community, Midlothian Council are keen to stress the positives of the development. Councillor Owen Thompson, cabinet member for housing said:

We want to consult with the local community and get some feedback on views on these exciting plans to free up existing empty council buildings and provide quality services for homeless households.

Anyone can become homeless, at any point in their life for a variety of reasons, and these plans not only make use of empty buildings to help those most in need, but also free up temporary accommodation, which reduces costs to the Council and taxpayer on providing such accommodation.

I would urge everyone, to turn up and get along to these informative sessions to find out more.

Pentland House opened in 1976 and provided state of the art accommodation for older people, with a highlight being a walk-in bath. However the ageing building was closed in September last year after a new facility, Cowan Court, succeeded it. The new facility, a mere five minutes away from Pentland House, has since won awards for its design and facilities.

What do you think? Is this a welcome use for an uninhabited building or would you like to see something else in its place? Let us know below, in the comments box, or on Facebook or Twitter.