PLANS to turn parts of Dobren House, which was turned into a healthy eating cafe with a £500, 000 grant, back into accommodation have been approved by the council.

Pastor Joy Gascoigne, of Grimethorpe Pentecostal Church, will convert the first floor offices into temporary accommodation for single mothers.

She is chairman of The Seren House Project which provides accommodation for mothers with children up to five hit by affordable housing shortages.

She said: "The planning application has been approved and we are waiting to hear from the council about the building regulations which are being processed. They will look at the proposals and the building and make sure fire regulations are up to standard and things like that."

But at the Brierley Town Councilon Tuesday, Tony Devoy, secretary of the Grimethorpe Miners' Welfare, said there was a shortage of space for groups and organisations and the building should be kept within the community.

He said: "We have hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on that (Dobren House) and now to turn it back into a home, even though it's a worthy cause, would be a backwards step. To me, it needs to remain in the community, for the community and in community control."