The London borough of Haringey has become the first council in the capital to provide specially designed modular homes to tackle homelessness.
The 33 new modular homes, known as SoloHaus, have been delivered as a result of a partnership between Haringey Council and the developer Hill Group.
It is the first project in London to benefit from Foundation 200, a £15m initiative by Hill Group to donate 200 modular homes on small plots of unused land within the next five years to organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness.
‘I’m proud to be part of this joint initiative to help people move on securely from a life of sleeping rough,’ said Cllr Peray Ahmet, leader of Haringey Council.
‘We know we can’t tackle this problem alone, which is why I’m so delighted our collaboration with Hill is helping us deliver good quality, transitional housing that ensures people in need can get their lives back on track.
‘Tackling homelessness remains one of our top priorities and during the pandemic we offered emergency accommodation to over 1000 people sleeping rough. We are determined to continue our efforts and support people off the streets in our borough.’
Situated on a former storage yard, the development delivers accommodation for 33 people. According to Hill Group, the homes have running costs of less than £5 a week, are designed to Future Homes Standards, and have a design life of 60 years.
A team of Haringey Council staff will provide specialist support to enable residents to adjust and settle into their new homes, as well as to tackle the issues that led them to becoming homeless.
Half of the homes were donated by Hill Group and further funding was provided by the Greater London Authority and central Government. The initiative has also been supported by Citizens UK.
Andy Hill, chief executive, Hill Group, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with Haringey Council to provide the first specially built modular follow-on homes in London.
‘As an important part of our Foundation 200 initiative to gift modular homes, I am confident that this new development will make a tangible difference to people experiencing homelessness in Haringey.
‘I hope this project will give many residents the opportunity to rebuild their lives in a safe, secure and comfortable environment. To maximise the benefits of this initiative, we will be seeking to employ tenants in our developments within Haringey and adjacent boroughs.’
