THE City of Sydney is battling to evict a group of homeless students occupying a building in Redfern because it wants to use the premises as a centre for young homeless people.

The squatters moved into the building in Regent Street in early November but last week were ordered out by the council.

Homeless being evicted to build a homeless shelter . . . Miriam, Ashwyn Falkingham and Alain Ashman plan a legal challenge. Credit:Dean Sewell

They enlisted the help of a lawyer, William Beattie, to press their case, and the deadline has since passed without action.

"We told the council that they can't come in here bullying people with the police," said one of the group, Carven Lee. "[The building is] not being used at the moment and even if they are going to make it into a homeless centre what harm is there in us being here in the meantime. We are all homeless students."