By William Turtle-Clark

Work is progressing on the transformation of Hereford's former John Haider Building on the corner of Gaol Street and Bath Street, where work is underway to turn the site into emergency accommodation.

Under the improvements, the building will be re-named after 19th century philanthropist, John Venn.

The project is costing Herefordshire Council £3.8 million, where the derelict building will be turned into 28 single-bedroom apartments.

The council acquired the building over a year ago, and is expected to finish the project by the summer of 2027, later than the originally planned autumn 2026 opening which was pushed back due to a number of delays.

It is expected that a saving of more than £600,000 per year will be made as the costs of providing emergency accommodation, often in hotels or B&Bs, would decrease.

Councillor Graham Biggs, Herefordshire Council's Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said "We know there is a critical shortage of suitable emergency accommodation in Herefordshire, with increasing numbers of people coming to the council needing somewhere safe and secure to stay."

He went on to say "This project will provide 28 good-quality homes for people who need them most, while also bringing an ageing and prominent building back into productive use."

Councillor Biggs noted that he had been impressed by the progress made on the site so far.

Published 15/08/2026