A BID to help desperate homeless people by opening a new £500,000 healthcare centre has been met with a wave of objections from fearful neighbours.

Homeless charity Beacon House has unveiled plans to move their base in East Hill to a new site – the vacant former medical centre in Ypres Road, Colchester.

As part of the scheme, their current base would be converted into flats and the rental income put towards the costs of running and operating their new site.

At the new centre services would be “easily accessible” across a single floor.

They would include clinical rooms, social and dining areas and a storage room for supporters to drop off donations.

The bid has been aided by a £70,000 grant from the Colchester Catalyst Charity.

But some objectors said the centre would be a “danger” to children.

One resident, of Circular Road South, said: “This is an utterly terrible idea and will be a danger to the local school, as well as all the families who have called Abbeyfields their home.

“Mix this with a near zero police presence in the area and I can only see this as a danger to my children.”

Another resident said: “This is a prime residential area and not only will it lower the prestige, it will seriously affect the market value of the properties.”

Vivienne Wiggins, chief executive of Beacon House, said no issues had ever arisen with schools near to their current site.

“At the moment it is quite a sensitive issue and the plans are at a delicate stage,” she said.

“I would say that the objections don’t relate to planning law.

“I run this strange gauntlet where one half think we are doing good work and the other half think we are bringing bad people into the area,” she said.

“We operate by seeing what can we do for the person in front of us right now to make their life better.

“We assess each person as they come in on their individual needs.”

She added: “We work with people who are just like any of us.”

“If you went home this evening and found a notice on your door from your landlord or if your relationship broke down, there could be a circumstance where you find yourself in a similar position.

“We look at how we can put building blocks back into their lives.

“We understand the objections, but we did hold a meeting with residents and at the end there was a good understanding of what we are trying to do – but still some concern.”

Colchester Council will have the final say.