A Buckinghamshire Council project to provide shelter for homeless
families in urgent need of housing is one major step closer to completion, as
purpose-built modules are now being installed at the Desborough Road temporary
accommodation site in High Wycombe.
The apartments were fully fitted out off site, complete with
pre-installed shower rooms and kitchens. They will provide shelter for families
who find themselves temporarily without a home, for example after losing their
home through no fault of their own.
Cabinet member for Housing & Homelessness, Isobel Darby,
said: “I am delighted with the progress we have seen on site, which will help
us achieve our ambitious plans to provide more accommodation for families who
are homeless.
“This project will increase the number of temporary homes in
High Wycombe by 65 per cent, enabling us to meet the growing local need and
provide a much better living environment for families who need our help. The
new accommodation will also bring people closer to local amenities, such as
transport facilities, GP surgeries and schools as well as other support
services.”
The 58 apartments were manufactured and fitted out at
Premier Modular’s factory in East Yorkshire. The first modules arrived on site
on Tuesday December 1 and all apartments should be installed by the middle of
December. Premier are working with construction partner Claritas Group to
deliver best value for the council on the highly sustainable scheme which will
be completed in a much shorter timescale than with traditional build.
The building has been designed to enhance the local area and
will deliver a high level of environmental performance with energy efficiency
measures and roof-mounted solar panels to generate electricity.
The homes are constructed around a central courtyard which
will provide a social and relaxation space for residents. A housing management
office, offices for the relocated British Red Cross, and laundry will be
located on the ground floor, with refuse stores and cycle storage in the plaza.
John Chilver, cabinet member for Property & Assets,
said: “It is exciting to see the first modules in place. As a council, we are
committed to exploring modern methods of construction and more innovative ways
of delivering new housing. The use of an offsite solution for this scheme has
enabled us to provide a high-quality build with a high standard of workmanship
and meeting the usual buildings standards while radically reducing time on
site, meaning far less disruption locally during the build programme.”
Director of Premier Modular, Nathalie Meunier, said: “There
is an urgent need across the UK for emergency accommodation for people who,
often through no fault of their own, have become homeless. These individuals
and families need housing for a short period of time, while a more permanent
place is found for them to live. Offsite construction is very well suited to
building this type of accommodation. As well as meeting the required standards
for quality and sustainability, we can reduce the completion time to deliver
new homes more quickly for people on emergency housing waiting lists.
“With fabrication and fitting out of the apartments taking
place off site, we can also reduce the number of construction workers on site –
an important health and safety benefit in the current pandemic.”
Built on the highly constrained site of the former
Desborough Road car park which has been relocated, the four and five-storey
scheme will be finished in a palette of colours including terracotta, slate
grey and off-white to complement the surrounding local area. The apartments
will be accessed by lifts and staircases built on site. There will be two
accessible apartments, each with a parking space. Work is expected to be
completed by late summer, with the first residents moving in shortly
afterwards.
