A NEWPORT mental health charity is planning a major upgrade of its headquarters as it aims to boost its presence in the city, where it already provides vital support.

Seven self-contained flats will be built by adding a floor to Newport Mind's headquarters, at the Pill end of Commercial Street, in a project funded through a Welsh Government programme to tackle homelessness.

But that is only part of an ambitious upgrade which includes creating a ground floor cafe/restaurant, and improving the first and second floors to provide services and therapies, and new offices.

Planning permission for the whole building, including the flats, was granted in 2016, and Newport Mind chief executive Dave Bland said it has since been a case of trying to secure funding and build up reserves to realise the project.

South Wales Argus:

An artist's impression of how the Newport Mind building (centre) will look, with the flats at the top. Picture: JDW Architects

"Then the Welsh Government announced its phase two homelessness funding, and as soon as I saw it was capital as well as revenue they were putting out, I contacted Newport City Council," said Mr Bland.

"I said we have this plan that fits with what the Welsh Government is talking about.

"It is about trying to avoid sending people back onto the streets.

"A lot of people who are homeless are there because they have mental health problems and we are about supporting people's mental health. It makes sense to us that we should be trying to do this.

"We will generate income because we will be able to charge rent, and it meets our aspirations - to help people in transition from temporary accommodation to more stable accommodation, and finally that step into accommodation for life."

Newport Mind currently has 16 tenants in accommodation in the city - but the flats plan was developed to address a specific housing issue.

"There's a lack of one-bedroomed supported accommodation, so people can have their own space," said Mr Bland.

"The step from homelessness to having your own accommodation is huge. This will be an important stepping stone."

READ MORE:

Welsh Government funding will finance the flats plan, with Newport Mind seeking to support the other proposals through other sources and its own reserves.

The cafe plan, on hold until the situation regarding coronavirus and eating out stabilises, seeks to realise two aims - providing an informal meeting place for Newport Mind service users, and enabling the organisation to increase its engagement with the wider community.

South Wales Argus:

How the cafe at Newport Mind's Commercial Street base might look. Picture: JDW Architects

"We're looking at it as a social enterprise opportunity with the potential for people who use our services to learn skills - either front-of-house or the kitchen/catering side of things," said Mr Bland.

"Part of that space could be partitioned off for groups to meet and - albeit on a very small scale - for a performance area for comedy or poetry, or for a screen.

"We run a range of groups, self-management courses, counselling. Thousands of people come through the building, and many like to meet afterwards and socialise.

"This would be somewhere to get together afterwards and develop friendships in a more informal atmosphere.

"We also want to create a really 'soft' shopfront presence, somewhere people can come in and have a coffee, but they don't have to be using our services."

South Wales Argus:

An artist's impression of a flat as part of the Newport Mind project. Picture: JDW Architects

The first floor will provide a relaxed and pleasant environment where services and therapies can be delivered, while the second floor will comprise improved office space for staff.

"We provide a lot of services in Newport, and we want to be much more a part of the community," said Mr Bland.