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Bromley Council to build modular homes for homeless people
A borough in south-east London is set to use factory-built housing as temporary accommodation for homeless families.
Bromley Council’s executive will meet next Wednesday to vote on inviting bids from providers to build modular homes on the council’s York Rise site.
It proposes to build between 30 and 36 homes offsite for homeless households of various sizes in an effort to cut the borough’s shortfall in temporary accommodation.
The scheme was initially floated in May last year, when a report by the council’s housing director noted that Bromley had only 42% of its required temporary accommodation. It is intended as a pilot for a potential larger programme of building modular homes for homeless people.
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The council aims to appoint a contractor in September this year, with work starting in November.
A report to be presented to the executive in the same meeting predicts that the borough will face a 40% increase in its homelessness caseload as a result of the Homelessness Reduction Act and a rise in rent arrears from the roll-out of Universal Credit. Its projections suggest an increase in budget pressures of £3m.
The modular housing programme is intended as one measure to tackle these issues. The council predicts that the York Rise scheme would reduce expenditure by £210,000 per year.
Bromley will also consider applying for innovation funding from the Greater London Authority. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said he wants to create confidence in the offsite sector, and has worked with offsite builders Pocket Living and Swan Housing Association.
The news follows planning permission being granted to Lewisham Homes, the housing management arm of Lewisham Council, for its first modular housing development of 25 homes.
Bromley Council has been contacted for comment.
