Nicolas Maari of multi-disciplinary firm Pellings looks at the challenges for designers around providing interim accommodation for the homeless
Homelessness is an ongoing and growing problem, with the number of homeless people increasing by a third between 2012 and 2018. There are at least 320,000 homeless people in the UK, according to research by housing charity Shelter.
Since the Homelessness Reduction Act came into force in April 2018 councils in England have a legal duty to find a person somewhere to stay if they are homeless and a duty to help people at risk of losing their home. However, despite this, there are increasingly more people sleeping rough on our streets, which means the need for housing continues to grow. In particular, there is a big demand for interim accommodation (an alternative to B&B’s, hostels and nightly-paid private housing) that offers a lower cost, and better-quality option.
Over the past year we’ve seen a rise in requests to work on projects for this vulnerable demographic. While there is widespread public support for getting homeless people into suitable accommodation, a number of challenges around design and planning, as well as objections from the local community, continue to present themselves.
The crux of the problem is around planning consent. While councils are trying to tackle the issue of interim homes for the homeless, there is no suitable planning class for this type of housing. HMO housing standards or general needs housing do not fit this category, which means there is a lack of planning guidance and usually no real precedent. Progress therefore, is largely down to the discretion of the planner. This makes the job of an architect a tricky one, but what makes the situation sadder is that planning issues can often stall the build over a long period, meaning more people remain homeless, thus exacerbating the problem.
We came up against a number of challenges on a current project located in the county of Hertfordshire. Our role is as architects up to planning and then as EAs, for 74 new temporary accommodation units located within a conservation area, which is surrounded by trees and general housing. The project involves the expansion of an existing facility, which already houses temporary accommodation, but is no longer fit for purpose.
We have been working on this scheme since late 2016, and local objections, in particular from residents, have continually delayed the programme. While supporting the concept, they do not want this type of facility on their doorstep, so they have raised every concern possible – from anti-social behaviour to the appearance of the building and even car parking and traffic, although the individuals making use of the accommodation don’t tend to have access to cars.
Following four pre-application meetings and consultations with neighbours, all manner of surveys – including traffic surveys – were commissioned to alleviate their concerns. We also had to undergo verified views to show how the building would look in its environment in the summer and winter (when the leaves have fallen), so the public could be reassured they wouldn’t be able to see the building from their back gardens.
The design itself had to be robust and low-maintenance with traditional brickwork and render construction – flat roofs and panel systems were out of the question. We also had to include an on-site office facility so the property could be managed on a day-to-day basis.
While this project is still ongoing, it is in complete contrast to another one we are working on, on the south coast in Kent, where speed is the number one priority. The scheme involves three sites, including two brownfield sites of unused garages and one greenfield site.
Working with our client to get this up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible, we began by looking at how we could adapt existing modular blocks, but are now providing a bespoke modular solution with a volumetric system to deliver the units fast. Just three months in and planning consent is imminent. As with the Hertfordshire scheme, the finish must be robust, to allow for the wear and tear that comes with the rapid churn of residents. Again, we will be using tough materials with the 6 metre x 3 metre units clad in brick before they are delivered to the site for assembly.
If asked what advice I would give to another architect when designing for interim accommodation for the homeless, the main thing would be to remember that we are not trying to achieve award-winning architecture. We are trying to solve a problem. It is certainly worth looking at what has been done before to get an idea of what is achievable. It is also important to understand exactly what the local authority’s objectives are, so their requirements are fulfilled. Robustness, speed of delivery and low maintenance are common needs for interim accommodation.
Local authorities have a duty to provide homeless applicants with interim accommodation, however, lack of planning guidance and objections to these schemes hamper the provision of these much-needed facilities. This coupled with fears among the public and the stigma surrounding the type of people who may be housed in these properties, means getting the green light on planning is an ongoing challenge.
While this problem remains, we at Pellings continue to work as effectively as possible with our clients to get temporary households up and running on sites that would otherwise remain dormant. It might not solve the homelessness crisis, but at least interim accommodation can provide a temporary respite.
Nicolas Maari is senior partner and head of architecture at Pellings