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Boroughs seek bids for mobile temporary accommodation
London boroughs have invited bids to supply modular homes that can be moved around the capital as needed to accommodate homeless people.
Pan-London Accommodation Collaborative Enterprise (Place) said it sought “precision-manufactured family homes that will have the quality of permanent housing but can be moved from one site to another as required”.
It has an initial target of placing 200 homes on vacant sites that would otherwise be under-used, starting in Tower Hamlets.
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The project has been developed by the London Housing Directors’ Group, supported by London Councils, which represents the boroughs, and an £11m investment by the Greater London Authority.
Darren Rodwell, leader of Barking and Dagenham Council and executive member for housing and planning at London Councils, said: “Rising rates of homelessness represent a momentous challenge for the capital and London’s boroughs are determined to work together to secure better options for local families in need of a home.
“Place is exactly the sort of exciting new approach we need to see – innovative collaboration that will improve outcomes for homeless Londoners.”
Mark Baigent, director at Place, said he wanted to procure “attractive and spacious factory-built homes that can be easily moved from site to site”.
It plans to deliver two and three-bedroom family properties, which boroughs have stated are the types most needed by homeless households.
Place will own the units, which it said would be more cost effective than boroughs procuring them directly from a supplier.
The deadline for bids is 15 August 2018.
Watch timelapse footage of homes being built in just two days at Housing 2018:
