11 modular homes get the go-ahead in Bristol

ZEDPods has received planning permission from Bristol City Council to build 11 modular homes above the Chalks Road car park in Bristol

The modular homes scheme, including nine one-bedroom pods and 2 two-bedroom pods, will be the first development to be built as part of the five-year Bristol Housing Festival.

Some of the pods could be on site in time for the next Bristol housing Festival exhibition in mid-October. The pods will be road-tested, in a real-world scenario, to accelerate the delivery of quality, affordable housing in Bristol.

This decision pioneers a way to create a 100% affordable, low carbon housing development over an existing land use, a car park in this case.

By creating a mixture of affordable tenures, with four units to be let at social rent level, a new community model will be created to ensure that the support networks are in place for the tenants.

This project is a collaboration between Bristol Housing Festival, ZED Pods Ltd, the YMCA Bristol, Bristol and Bath Regional Capital and Bristol City Council. National planning and development consultancy Turley provided planning and strategic communications services for the modular homes scheme.

Jez Sweetland, project director for Bristol Housing Festival, said: "Bristol City Council's decision to support this development is great news for Bristol. Our initial plans were for 7 pods, however we are now able to provide 11 pods through this planning approval.

"We are excited that this Festival project is a quality, low carbon build with great sustainability credentials and we look forward to seeing the pods completed."

Once all of the relevant planning conditions have been met, ZED Pods will begin production of the 11 pods at the Peterborough factory of their partner Lesko Modular Group. The pods delivered to site will include hard fixtures such as a kitchen including fridge/cooker/hobs and a wet room with shower, loo and washbasin.

Dr Rehan Khodabuccus, operations director of ZED Pods, commented: "The ZEDPods development rethinks existing land use, demonstrating a new possibility in helping solve the housing crisis, whilst at the same time providing beautiful, low carbon housing that lasts.

"Our focus on a 100% sustainable end-of-life construction solution involves an integrated roof-mounted solar array, a super-insulated building envelope with triple glazed windows, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery coupled with a design that gives exceptional levels of daylighting resulting in extremely low running costs."

Ben Silvey, director YMCA Bristol, added: "On behalf of the young people we see day in and day out who can't afford a decent home in our city, we are absolutely delighted. We can't wait to the moment that the first young people move into these excellent quality, truly aspirational and genuinely affordable homes."