CONCRETE planters could be installed to keep homeless people sleeping in the doorways of empty businesses.

Winchester Business Improvement District (Winchester BID) say they are contacting landlords and property managers to speak about what to do with the issue of homeless people using doorways as beds.

Homeless people have set up makeshift beds outside vacant stores in Winchester's high street and St George's Street.

PCSO Neil Parker told a meeting with residents that Winchester BID are asking landlords if they would consider putting in concrete planters in the doorways to prevent homeless people using them.

However, BID chief Catherine Turness said nothing has been set in stone.

She said decisions lie with landlords and denied that concrete planters that are being considered.

“We are trying to support and help those that are in need but there are some issues with people that are congregating around empty units across the city who have chosen to not use that support.”

“We want the businesses premises that are empty to be kept up to standard.”

Sue McKenna, operations director of homeless day centre Trinity Winchester, believes the idea will move the problem of homelessness elsewhere.

She said: "It is not ideal for anyone to wish to sleep or live in a doorway, stopping people by installing barriers is short term and will move the problem on to somewhere else."

City councillor Ian Tait said introducing planters would be detrimental to the city.

He said: "It papers over the problem of homelessness in Winchester. I think it would need deeper thinking

"It may mitigate the offence but it is not the solution at all."

Liberal Democrat Martin Tod is also against the proposal.

He said: "The fact that this is even being discussed suggests that the Conservatives’ cuts to social services support for people at risk of homelessness are having exactly the impact that many of us predicted.

"Planters aren’t going to make homeless people cease to exist, give them help to tackle their problems or help them get housed.

"If money’s going to be spent, we need to be doing more to help people to turn their lives around – not pretending that planters in shop doorways are any kind of solution."