A PROJECT that helps the homeless to get back on their feet could be set for a £150,000 boost.

Winchester City Council chiefs plan to bankroll the Emmaus Hampshire charity, which opened its doors last spring.

Its community at Bar End in Winchester offers training and shelter to the homeless, and sells furniture to balance its books.

Its aim was to gradually build up to a full capacity of 23 people. However, a report to council chiefs said 18 had already arrived and demand for places had "exceeded expectations".

The document added that Emmaus still owed £1.5m to housing association, A2 Dominion.

While the centre, which cost £3m to build, is meeting its running costs, it would benefit from some help with the loan, the report said.

As a result, the council plans to meet 10 per cent of the debt, and pay £150,000 to A2 Dominion, which maintains nearly 1,500 homes in Winchester.

The report said: "There are sufficient resources in the council's capital programme for affordable housing development to make such a grant.

"The grant payment must be made to A2Dominion and they have agreed to discharge an equivalent amount of capital from the Emmaus loan once this is done."

The final decision rests with Cllr George Beckett, who leads the council. He is expected to decide whether to approve the grant later this month, or in early February.

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