The quarterly Statutory Homelessness and Homelessness Prevention Relief figures are due to be issued on Thursday 22nd March. Ross Gilbert, Managing Director at QED Sustainable Urban Developments, discusses the issue.
Ross Gilbert said: “Homelessness is a huge issue in England and unless we are able to start tackling the housing crisis, the figures simply will not decrease. With the appointment of Heather Wheeler MP as Minister for Housing and Homelessness, I hope that she is able to start addressing the problem at the heart which is building accommodation for homeless people immediately.”
This is no easy feat for the Minister, especially when she has stated she will resign if she doesn’t fulfil her pledge to meet the Conservative manifesto commitment of halving rough sleeping by 2022, and eradicating it by 2027.
Gilbert continued: “If all councils were willing to explore the use of ‘meanwhile developments’ of ready to live in accommodation made using offsite manufactured homes (OSM) built on brownfield sites — which all councils have — it would go a long way to begin addressing this issue.
“Councils like Ealing have recognised and been proactive about their housing situation and embraced looking at alternative ways to find housing. Marston Court in Acton and Meath Court in Ealing provide 94 apartments and housing for 420 people and have been created using offsite manufactured homes. The developments include communal space, onsite management offices, laundry and refuse storage and house young families and low-income individuals in need of immediate emergency accommodation.
“The developments are made up of a kit of moveable and reusable parts of UK produced shipping containers, providing an immediate solution to the short-term accommodation need.
“In order to address the predicted increase of homelessness, I hope that the Minister takes notice of the work that Ealing is doing and provides the support for other councils to do the same.”
