A £5 million hostel and training centre is to replace an outdated homeless shelter.

Brighton and Hove City Council has approved plans to demolish YMCA George Williams House, in Highdown Road, Portslade, and build two new accommodation blocks and a life skills centre.

Five five-bedroom homes and 38 studio flats, each with their own kitchen and bathroom, will replace the 63 bedrooms, half of which are too small to meet required standards.

The life skills centre will help residents with budgeting, job applications, interviews and IT skills.

It will also provide a venue for meetings, cookery and art and craft classes. A vegetable garden, maintained by residents, will also be created.

Twelve car parking spaces and 14 cycle spaces will be provided.

Building work, expected to begin this summer, will take place in three phases so the majority of people can live on site while the redevelopment is completed.

Residents will be allowed to stay in the new hostel for up to two years.

The scheme has been partly funded by a £2 million grant from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and a £1 million contribution from the YMCA. A further bid for £2 million has been made to the Housing Corporation.

The hostel was originally built as a childrens centre in the Seventies and run by East Sussex County Council until it was taken over by the YMCA in 1985.

The proposals were approved by the planning committee last week.

Councillor Les Hamilton, chair of the committee, said: "The current building is old and outdated and this new development will offer a great improvement to residents, giving them more independence and the chance to learn new skills."