The homes are designed to tackle homelessness by providing rough sleepers with somewhere to stay until they can be put into social housing
The modular pod homes are to be built on a patch of land near St Alban’s Close, Gravesend.
Eight are to be constructed, providing temporary accommodation for eight people designed to their needs.
Tackling homelessness in the area
The pods are suitable to provide space for those capable of looking after themselves with low levels of support needed, providing a stopgap for rough sleepers until they can move into private or secure social housing.
Waiting lists for social housing, the only option for many people who find themselves in homeless situations, can often take years due to a lack of social housing, position on the priority list, and type of property required. Families are generally given a higher priority, and so single people who are sleeping rough can be waiting longer.
These pods offer a stopgap specifically for this demographic and are intended to serve as transitional accommodation for between six months and two years.
Leader of Gravesham council, councillor John Burden, praised the pods as a “crucial next step.”
He said: “They are perfect for those ready to move on from supported accommodation and become reaccustomed to more independent living whilst still being supported to manage their tenancies.
“All of the residents will have worked with our dedicated rough sleeper team and partners and will continue to do so to ensure they receive support to move into long-term settled accommodation.
“Supporting rough sleepers to escape the streets is one of our most important roles as a local council and one we know is supported by our wider community.”
Delivery of social and affordable homes is at risk
Earlier this month, the Home Builders Federation published research highlighting that issues with accepting Section 106 contracts is putting up to 8,500 new homes at risk of never being sold or even built.
This is because under these contracts, developers would need to purchase the homes that home builders are obliged to build, albeit at a discount, but due to current budget concerns, many developers are reluctant to enter into these contracts.
Neil Jefferson, chief executive at the Home Builders Federation, said: “Against rising affordability pressures and increasing numbers of families living in temporary accommodation, it cannot be that Affordable Homes are left standing empty.
“Government’s social and Affordable Housing announcements were a welcome step to giving Registered Providers confidence to plan long term, but they are doing little to ease the immediate constraints of delivering Affordable Housing through Section 106 agreements.
“Right now, an estimated 100,000 private units are stalled, which not only threatens the supply of much-needed homes but also risks the livelihoods of regional businesses and hardworking tradespeople up and down the country.
“While Government’s housing announcements have been welcome, as it stands, housing associations are unable to bid and private buyers are unable to buy, leaving the housing outlook increasingly uncertain.”
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