Award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group has gifted eight SoloHaus homes to Places for People Living Plus to help tackle homelessness in Bristol. Designed to provide follow-on temporary accommodation for people who have experienced homelessness, the purpose-built modular homes were handed over to Places for People on 20th September. Senior staff from Hill, Places for People, and Bristol City Council came together to celebrate this milestone at Derby Street, Bristol.

The specially designed modular homes were provided through Hill's philanthropic initiative, Foundation 200, a £15 million pledge to design, manufacture, and donate 200 modular homes to homeless charities and local authorities by 2025. The SoloHaus homes provide a safe, comfortable, and independent space for residents and arrive fully furnished, ready for installation onto a pre-prepared site. Designed to house single people, the homes have a 60-year lifespan and are built to Future Homes Standards, exceeding building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation.

The land on which these homes are situated has been transferred to Places for People by Bristol City Council for nominal rent on a 60-year lease, ensuring longevity and stability for the scheme. The council has also secured a significant funding contribution from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities (DLUHC) Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme that will cover the salary of a support worker at the development for 18 months. 

Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive at The Hill Group, comments: "We're excited to donate eight SoloHaus homes to Places for People Living Plus, bolstering its efforts to tackle homelessness. These homes will make a tangible difference to residents' lives by providing secure, modern, and comfortable accommodation. We're confident they'll help many more people get back on their feet and regain the dignity they deserve."

The SoloHaus homes will be managed by Places for People Living Plus, the UK's leading social enterprise. The organisation provides vital advice and support across Bristol to people who are struggling with housing; this includes help with benefits, financial hardship, funding and grants, and local welfare support.

James Brown, Transition and Implementation Lead, Places for People, comments: "Having safe independent accommodation is a vital part of transitioning back to a more stable living arrangement for those who have experienced homelessness. I would like to thank Hill for providing these impressive modular homes which will enable us to give support and guidance to even more people, helping them to develop the skills, confidence, and resilience to take the next step into independent living.” 

“I would also like to thank Bristol City Council, who has been pivotal in making this scheme a reality by securing the land to Places for People for a minimum term of 60 years. They have helped gain a significant funding contribution from the DLUHC Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme that will cover the cost of a team member for 18 months. These homes are going to empower people struggling to take that vital step in getting their lives back on track, and we are confident that they will make a huge difference to many people in Bristol.”

Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes at Bristol City Council: “This is a brilliant project that will transform the lives of Bristol residents who need some extra support to get them back on track and working towards independent living. In 2021/22, Bristol built 2,563 new homes, exceeding the mayor's ambitious manifesto target. More is needed, however, if we're to tackle a housing crisis that sees over 20,000 households on our housing waiting list. We're taking ambitious strides to explore a range of innovative solutions, and this project allows us to make the best use of the space we have in the city. I would like to thank Hill and Places for People, who have worked so well together to make this happen.”

Produced in the West Midlands by Hill's manufacturing partner Volumetric Modular, over 80 SoloHaus homes have now been donated to organisations around the UK as part of the Foundation 200 project.

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About The Hill Group

Hill is an award-winning housebuilder and one of the leading developers in London and the South East, renowned for its partnership ethos specialising in the building of distinctive new places and communities. It is now in the process of expanding operations both in the South West and the Midlands.

In its 24th year, this family-owned and operated company has grown to establish itself as the UK's second-largest privately-owned housebuilder, with an impressive and diverse portfolio of developments ranging from landmark, mixed-use regeneration projects to homes in rural communities. 

Employing over 800 staff, the company operates from five strategically located regional offices, with its head office based in Waltham Abbey, Essex. 

Hill anticipates completing over 2,600 homes in 2023 and has a controlled land bank with planning consent for over 8,500 units. Around half of the development portfolio is in joint venture to deliver a range of mixed tenure developments, reflecting Hill's commitment to partnerships with government, local authorities, housing associations, and private clients. 

Hill has won over 480 industry awards, including Best Medium Housebuilder at the Housebuilder Awards for the last three years, where in 2022, Hill's commitment to creating exceptional homes and sustainable communities was recognised with the Best Community Initiative and Best Sustainability Initiative. Hill's impressive Cavendish Villas at the highly sustainable Knights Park development in Eddington, Cambridge won Best Family Home at the 2022 Evening Standard New Homes Awards, as well as Best House and Best Exterior Design at the 2022 WhatHouse? Awards. In addition, Hill has been awarded the 5-star status in the Home Builders Federation's annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for the past six years. 

The Hill Group is donating 200 fully equipped modular homes to local authorities and homeless charities as part of a £15 million pledge through its Foundation 200 programme, launched in 2019 to mark Hill's 20th anniversary.

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