ABOUT 20 homeless people living in an empty garage in Iffley Road have been allowed to stay despite eviction threats.

Oxford Crown Court imposed a repossession order yesterday – put forward by owners Midcounties Co-op – but allowed the group to remain in the disused VW garage, dubbed ‘Iffley Open House’, until April 10 before imposing the order.

Homelessness supporters welcomed the decision as they gathered outside Oxford Crown Court with a banner which said: ‘People need homes – empty spaces need people’.

Midcounties Co-operative group general manager for specialist services, Kevin Brown, said: “In April we have a legal obligation to hand the site back, with vacant possession, to our landlord Wadham College. To ensure we’re able to meet that requirement, we have been granted a repossession order but our preference is not to have to use it.

“Provided the Iffley Open House group continue to meet the conditions set down for occupancy, there will be no need for us to implement the repossession order.”

Homeless man Neo, who chooses to sleep rough, spends three nights a week at the former garage. He helped set up the shelter on New Year’s Eve to get rough sleepers off the streets as temperatures dropped. He said: “We have set a precedent here. 

“For them to let us stay is very rare. People who come in want to be off the streets for winter. Why can’t we have compassion? It’s a human rights issue.

“We still have a fight on our hands as Wadham College wants to start demolition work in February.”

The Co-operative said that if Wadham College sought early termination, then they would be legally obliged to do so before April – but said no request had been made.

But, following the ruling, Wadham College said that plans were still in place for demolition of the building in March.

In a statement, it said: “Whilst we have deep sympathy with the plight of homeless people, any solution must not delay the redevelopment of the building as homes for students.

“Wadham has explained this to the squatters’ representatives in face-to-face meetings, during which they indicated to us that they would not seek to occupy the building beyond a date that would interfere with Wadham’s development plans.

“Instead, they expressed their desire that they should be permitted to remain in the building until the date when Wadham requires possession [February 27]. 

“Out of consideration for the Iffley Open House, we have already delayed and rescheduled essential preparatory work.”