Award-winning housebuilder, The Hill Group has handed over six new modular homes to Torridge District Council to address homelessness in Devon. The purpose-built DuoHaus and SoloHaus homes are intended to provide follow-on temporary accommodation for people, including couples, who may be experiencing homelessness.

Last year, the charity Shelter disclosed findings from a Freedom of Information request spanning Devon and Cornwall, which highlighted that the Torridge district has the highest rate of homelessness in the region, with one in every 279 people affected[1].

The modular homes were launched through Hill's philanthropic initiative, Foundation 200, a £15 million pledge to design, manufacture, and donate 200 modular, single-person homes (SoloHaus) to homeless charities and local authorities by 2025.  DuoHaus, a larger model of the successful SoloHaus has been designed with couples in mind and features additional bedroom space and a double bed.

Created in collaboration with leading homelessness charities, both models are manufactured off site and arrive fully furnished, ready for residents to move into straight away. The homes are also easy to install and secure, with a high-quality finish throughout and relocatable. Built to last for at least 60 years, the homes are highly energy-efficient to keep costs low, and are designed to Future Homes Standards, exceeding building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation.

The three SoloHaus and three DuoHaus homes have been installed to offer emergency housing support to households who have lost their homes due to a severe shortage of private rental properties in Devon as well as the ongoing pressures from the cost-of-living crisis. The council is now supporting a large number of households through this difficult time using a range of innovative facilities, like modular homes.

Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive at The Hill Group said. “We are pleased to hand over three SoloHaus homes for single people, and for the first time, three DuoHaus for couples who are affected by a lack of housing supply, to Torridge District Council, bolstering its efforts to tackle homelessness. This is the first time we have delivered modular homes in Devon, and we are confident they will make a tangible difference to residents' lives by providing secure, modern, and comfortable accommodation to enable them to get back on their feet and regain the dignity they deserve."

Hamish Cameron, Project Manager, Torridge District Council said: “We are delighted to have acquired these six homes which are already helping alleviate the housing challenges within the district and we are primarily using them to home people that are experiencing homelessness and this remains an important aspect of our strategy to support these needs in the local community.  Notably, their high-quality design and energy efficiency, will ensure they offer a comfortable and affordable place to live.”

SoloHaus and DuoHaus homes are manufactured by Volumetric Modular from its factory in the West Midlands. Fabrication takes just 15 days, and on-site installation can be even quicker, making the homes an ideal solution for addressing accommodation shortages swiftly.

-ENDS-

About The Hill Group

Hill is an award-winning housebuilder and one of the leading developers in London, the home counties, and the South.

The company is renowned for its partnership ethos, specialising in the building of distinctive new places and communities where people want to live, work, and socialise. It is now in the process of opening new regional offices to facilitate growth in the Midlands and the South West.

In its 25th 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 projects ranging from landmark, mixed-use regenerations, and inner-city apartment developments to homes in rural communities. 

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

Hill anticipates completing over 2,900 homes this financial year and has a controlled land bank with planning consent for over 8,500 homes. Around half of its portfolio is in joint ventures to deliver a range of mixed-tenure developments, reflecting Hill's commitment to partnerships with government, local authorities, housing associations, and private clients. 

Since the company was founded in 1999, Hill has won over 500 industry awards, including the esteemed titles of WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year in 2015, 2020, and most recently in 2023, when it also won the Best Large Housebuilder accolade in its first year entering the category. Rubicon, Hill's innovative and beautifully designed development at Knights Park in Eddington, Cambridge, has been recognised with four prestigious WhatHouse? Awards in 2023, including gold awards for Best Development and Best Exterior Design. Rubicon also won Best Design for Four Storeys or More at the 2023 Housebuilder Awards. The Beech, a stunning contemporary home at Marleigh, won the Best Family Home award at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2023 and silver in the Best House category at the WhatHouse? Awards in the same year.

In addition, Hill's dedication to delivering the highest quality homes and exceptional customer service has earned the housebuilder its 5-star status in the Home Builders Federation's annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for the past seven 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.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram @HillGroupUK

For more information, contact The Oracle Group PR Agency on Tel: 020 8394 2821 or hill@oraclepr.co.uk