In response to rising numbers of homeless people in the local area, Pembrokeshire County Council has successfully secured Welsh Government funding in November 2020 to purchase eight pre-constructed ‘pods’ which will provide temporary accommodation on the site of a former school in Hubberston, Milford Haven – a location where there are future plans to build permanent social housing.

A meeting was held earlier this week with local county councillors to discuss the siting of these pods.

The pre-fabricated temporary pods incorporate disabled access and are made from adapted shipping containers that include two units of one-bedroom self-contained accommodation with a living/kitchen/dining area and separate bathroom.

The pods can be temporarily located at the Hubberston site under planning permitted development allowance for a period of 12 months.

Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to offer homes to anyone without one.

Currently within Pembrokeshire there is shortage of one bedroom residences and lockdown has seen a sharp rise in numbers of people needing that kind of accommodation.

The unsustainable emergency response is currently to place those in need in three B&B’s/guesthouses across the county which will at some point in the future be returned to use as holiday accommodation as Covid restrictions ease and tourism returns to the county.

The eight Pods will go a small way to provide a temporary solution to those who need one bedroom accommodation, and are expected to be in place at the end of July whereupon the authority will invite the local community to attend open days to view the pods and speak with PCC Housing officers.

The Pods are then expected to be filled in September. Alongside the offer of safe accommodation, we will also provide support to those who have been placed there to enable them to transition to permanent accommodation.

The authority has also recently co-funded the purchase of two smaller pods in partnership with Milford based Nantucket Church and Pembrokeshire Care Society.

This initiative has been well received and supported by the immediate Nantucket community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqC_kAGiqkA

Cabinet Member for Housing Clr. Michelle Bateman said: “It’s great to be able to respond to the growing need for homeless accommodation in Pembrokeshire.

“We welcome the trialling of these pods following receipt of the grant funding and we would like to invite the local community to come and see the Pods for themselves before we start to allocate people to live short term in these brilliant spaces.”

PCC invites anyone who wishes to communicate their views, opinions or seek further information about the development to email the Housing Customer Liaison team at: housingCLO@pembrokeshire.gov.uk