Redcliffe homeless drop-in centre is a year behind schedule despite money and land donations

THE group behind a long awaited homeless drop-in centre north of Brisbane say it is six to 12 months behind schedule despite being given land and more than $60,000 in donations.

The Redcliffe Drop-in Centre is six to 12 months behind schedule.

• Council sets aside land for drop-in centre
• Number of homeless on the rise
• Call for land for drop-in centre

The Redcliffe Drop-in ­Centre is six to 12 months behind schedule as recent figures reveal a steep increase in homelessness in the past five years.

The number of homeless people in Moreton Bay region has risen from 740 in 2011 to 1166 in 2016, according to the latest Census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Formerly Club 189, a drop-in centre has been in the pipeline for years with plans to create a case management system which will help fill in the gap of welfare services in the region.

Rockin’ 4 the Homeless concert has raised about $67,000 through public donations and Moreton Bay Regional Council donated land near the showgrounds in July, 2017.

Redcliffe Drop-in Centre chairwoman Rae Frawley said she hoped to be in a property by July 1 2018, but the project had run into multiple “road blocks” since last year.

“We’ve asked council to consider us to have a prefabricated building on that site — not demountable,” she said. “Originally we were going to build a purpose-built building, but the costings are very high.

“We’re going back to a public meeting to review the timeline, business plan and budgets, given we’re a year behind.”

The drop-in centre hopes to have a plan sorted out to present to its financial backers at its annual fundraiser ball in August.

“I’m sure there are people who are frustrated,” she said. “We need to commit to those people and let them know we appreciate the interest they’ve shown, and we’re pursuing it.

“We have a lease agreement typed up ... we’re just waiting on council’s opinion on what kind of building is likely to be accepted.”

A council spokesman said it was “unaware of any July 1 deadline”, but was working on the drop-in centre. “Council has earmarked a site at Lamington Drive to potentially expand human services to include a homelessness drop-in centre and service, and continues to work with proponents of the drop-in centre,” he said. “If council officers notice that a person might be experiencing homelessness, they help them get in touch with specialised groups like Department of Housing and Public Works, the Homelessness Hotline and Breakfast Club ... as part of a referral process.”