Award-winning housebuilder, The Hill Group has handed over six new modular homes to Torridge District Council to address homelessness in Devon.
The purpose-built DuoHaus and SoloHaus homes are intended to provide follow-on temporary accommodation for people, including couples, who may be experiencing homelessness.
Last year, the charity Shelter disclosed findings from a Freedom of Information request spanning Devon and Cornwall, which highlighted that the Torridge district has the highest rate of homelessness in the region, with one in every 279 people affected.
The modular homes were launched through Hill’s philanthropic initiative, Foundation 200, a £15 million pledge to design, manufacture, and donate 200 modular, single-person homes (SoloHaus) to homeless charities and local authorities by 2025. DuoHaus, a larger model of the successful SoloHaus has been designed with couples in mind and features additional bedroom space and a double bed.
Created in collaboration with leading homelessness charities, both models are manufactured off site and arrive fully furnished, ready for residents to move into straight away. The homes are also easy to install and secure, with a high-quality finish throughout and relocatable. Built to last for at least 60 years, the homes are highly energy-efficient to keep costs low, and are designed to Future Homes Standards, exceeding building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation.
The three SoloHaus and three DuoHaus homes have been installed to offer emergency housing support to households who have lost their homes due to a severe shortage of private rental properties in Devon as well as the ongoing pressures from the cost-of-living crisis. The council is now supporting a large number of households through this difficult time using a range of innovative facilities, like modular homes.
Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive at The Hill Group said. “We are pleased to hand over three SoloHaus homes for single people, and for the first time, three DuoHaus for couples who are affected by a lack of housing supply, to Torridge District Council, bolstering its efforts to tackle homelessness. This is the first time we have delivered modular homes in Devon, and we are confident they will make a tangible difference to residents’ lives by providing secure, modern, and comfortable accommodation to enable them to get back on their feet and regain the dignity they deserve."
Hamish Cameron, Project Manager, Torridge District Council said: “We are delighted to have acquired these six homes which are already helping alleviate the housing challenges within the district and we are primarily using them to home people that are experiencing homelessness and this remains an important aspect of our strategy to support these needs in the local community. Notably, their high-quality design and energy efficiency, will ensure they offer a comfortable and affordable place to live.”
SoloHaus and DuoHaus homes are manufactured by Volumetric Modular from its factory in the West Midlands. Fabrication takes just 15 days, and on-site installation can be even quicker, making the homes an ideal solution for addressing accommodation shortages swiftly.
