PLANS for an asylum seeker hostel in Newport raise major questions over the safety and welfare of its young residents, according to one city resident with 25 years’ experience in the field.

Richard Frame, who has worked with organisations supporting the homeless and other vulnerable people, said it was imperative young people were offered round-the-clock support.

Currently, it is proposed to convert a property in Clyffard Crescent into a hostel for up to eight unaccompanied asylum-seeking teenagers, as part of a UK Government scheme.

But the plans reveal there would be no 24-hour support from responsible adults, and the children living there – typically aged 16-17 – would be monitored by CCTV outside daytime hours.

For Mr Frame, this goes against everything he learned during his decades of supporting vulnerable people.

“One thing we’d do is never, ever provide for that age group without 24/7 staff,” he told the Argus. “You never do that – it’s a particularly vulnerable group.”

Mr Frame said he had spoken with former colleagues who agreed there probably wasn’t “a single hostel in Wales that provides for that age group that has one person popping in each day – they all have 24-hour staff”.

He cited incidents in the south of England, where many asylum-seekers first stay before they find a more permanent home, in which some children – particularly young boys – were reportedly “disappearing” from their hotels.

There was a risk people in this age group were vulnerable to gangs looking to exploit teenagers for criminality, he added.

Since the plans were submitted to Newport City Council, more than 50 neighbours have filed objections, covering concerns ranging from crime to pressures on parking.

But for Mr Frame, it is the welfare of the would-be residents which most alarms him.

“The safety of the children – that’s what people need to be concerned about,” he said. “It’s not right to me.”

Documents show a council social services officer has sought to allay fears, claiming similar - but smaller - sites in the city have been "mainly positive" and not caused any "significant concerns".

Children at the proposed hostel would benefit from "standard safety measures" such as "evening welfare checks" and CCTV monitoring, and "some young people will need to be provided with increased level of support".

The social services officer also said "appropriate intervention will be undertaken" should any issues related to crime arise.

The proposals for 1 Clyffard Crescent can be viewed on the Newport City Council website with reference 22/0959, and are currently before Newport council planners, who are due to make a final decision at committee level next month.

Newport City Council was contacted for comment.