Ministry of Defence urged to back £8m veterans' village in Yorkshire in "the biggest DIY SOS ever seen"

Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy is meeting Veterans Minister Tobias Ellwood at Westminster on Wednesday, with Hull 4 Heroes founder Paul Matson and DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles.

It comes as plans are about to be submitted by the Hull 4 Heroes charity to develop 22 acres off Priory Road and Coronation Road North, in Hull, for a scheme aiming to provide a stepping stone for veterans back into civilian life.

As well as 54 modular homes, the proposals, which are backed by landowner Hull Council, includes a horticultural therapy and rehabilitation facility, market garden and garden centre.

Ms Hardy said the charity had already huge support from the council and businesses. She said: “I’m hoping that the Minister will commit to money to fund part of it.

"That would be my ideal outcome.

“The Government has a duty of care to its veterans. Some have been abroad and in some cases have suffered unbearable hardships.

“They can’t wash their hands of them because they have left the military, which is the impression I get from many veterans, that when they left, they were just discarded.”

Hull 4 Heroes was set up in 2016 with the aim of creating homes for veterans following ex-soldier Mr Matson’s return to the city, after working on the BBC's DIY SOS creating a

“Veteran’s Street” in Manchester.

Mr Matson said the Hull village would incorporate the latest thinking, including having the best mental health support available on site.

Most of the buildings would be modular and a lot of firms had already offered to provide them at cost-price.

They have already had “phenomenal” backing from local businesses and had been “inundated" with people wanting to help when they opened their new headquarters on Whitefriargate recently - getting gifted everything from a new kitchen to bespoke settees and tables and chairs.

"We are talking to lots of different companies," he said. "It would be the biggest DIY SOS the world has ever seen.

"It will end up on TV for sure - whether DIY SOS itself is a different thing.

"We are doing some filming ourselves for it to go on a few different programmes. Once it starts I think it will have some major coverage.

"It's the world's first veterans village of its type and we are looking to make it as innovative as possible."

While supporting the scheme in principle, Ms Hardy said residents’ concerns about flooding, transport and access would have to be addressed.

She said: “The plans look beautiful, the way they have talked about it becoming a shared space with the community, it all sounds positive. The only two points I’d like to see more information on, are environmental ones.”

Mr Matson said the plans had been adjusted to meet concerns and the access would come directly off Priory Road, without going through the Coronation Road North estate.

There would be more community use; nature walks, a community centre and a multi-use games area.

He said: “We need the community if we are going to bring the veterans out of the forces. How can we do that without the community, and there’s a brilliant community in that area.”