Plans to provide short-term accommodation for families visiting inmates at Wellington Correctional Centre have gone back to the drawing board due to lack of a suitable facility.

The Wellington Short Stay Accommodation Project was designed by the Central Tablelands Housing Association to provide much-needed short-term accommodation to enable inmates at the jail regular visits from their family.

Original plans were for the facility to be housed at Bonaparte’s Retreat in Warne St, but the search is now on for another suitable location.

“Bonaparte’s Retreat was sold privately some time ago and negotiations have broken down with the new owners,” Central Tablelands Housing Association executive officer Karen Andrew said.

“We are now actively seeking a new location.”

Family and support networks are a vital part of the rehabilitation of prisoners, a fact recognised by the Wellington community.

“There is still a strong commitment to provide this service and the idea originally came from the Wellington community,” Ms Andrew said.

“It was identified that there was a need to provide a facility for people visiting Wellington to see their loved ones and funds have already been provided to run the facility for two years.”

Ms Andrews said the facility would already be up and running if negotiations had gone well, but there are hopes for another location in the near future.

“The community and the correctional centre are behind the project 100 per cent and there are ideas in the pipeline,” Ms Andrews said.

“We’re hoping for something in the near future but it is important to do it right.”

Any community member with ideas for a location to house the project is encouraged to phone the Central Tablelands Housing Association on 6360 3488.