Award-winning five-star housebuilder The Hill Group has handed over 24 DuoHaus homes to Chelmsford charity CHESS Homeless. The modular, self-contained properties have been purpose-built to support local homeless people to regain stability and independence. Delivered by Hill in March 2025, the homes will be run by CHESS, with the charity providing 24-hour on-site assistance and support with living skills.

The DuoHaus homes, now ready for occupancy, were officially opened on April 9, 2025, with a celebratory event attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, The Mayor of Chelmsford and the CEO of Homeless Link, alongside representatives of The Hill Group, CHESS Homeless and other individuals and organisations that have contributed to making this milestone a reality.

Dick Maddon, Chair of the Trustees at CHESS, comments: “Having 24 brand-new, fit-for-purpose homes will play a key role in opening doors to independence for those who have found themselves homeless in Chelmsford. Known as the Turning Point Project, the properties will offer a significantly improved living style for adults who have been homeless, with support from staff to help them move forward purposefully.”

Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant of Essex, comments: “The superb new DuoHaus provision showcases the power of philanthropy and partnership working to deliver a significant and lasting impact. Thank you to the many organisations and people that have worked with CHESS Homeless to achieve this wonderful opportunity for individuals experiencing homelessness in Essex.”

The 24 DuoHaus homes will be stacked on two levels, occupying the site of a former, obsolete motel building. Designed to have a 60-year lifespan, the homes are built to Future Homes Standards, exceeding building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation. Each DuoHaus provides a fully furnished and equipped home, complete with a fitted kitchen, white goods and all the essentials for daily life.

Rick Henderson, CEO of Homeless Link, comments: “The new DuoHaus properties in Essex provide comfortable homes that afford residents the space to regain their independence with on-site life skills support. They are an excellent stepping stone from homelessness to a more permanent, settled lifestyle for some of the county's most vulnerable residents.”

CHESS's dedicated, 24-hour support team will be based in an administration building alongside the new homes, offering a communal area where residents can relax and socialise. As part of the overall redevelopment of the site, the building also includes office space, private areas for residents to access one-to-one support and space for educational sessions. These will range from practical sessions on IT skills and DIY to job advice designed to help individuals rebuild their confidence.

The DuoHaus homes were born through The Hill Group's desire to help those experiencing homelessness. Their low-cost, modular design – part of Hill's broader SoloHaus initiative – has enabled Hill to deliver similar properties in a range of UK locations over the past six years.

Andy Hill OBE, founder and Group Chief Executive of The Hill Group, comments: “Back in 2019, as part of our 20-year celebration, we pledged to give back to the communities in which we operate through the design and provision of modular homes to help those most in need of safe, independent accommodation. By working with a wide range of forward-thinking stakeholders, our SoloHaus solution provides residents with dignity, quality and security. I hope the residents that occupy these homes through CHESS Homeless will go on to achieve great things as they move forward.”

The Chelmsford DuoHaus project exemplifies the game-changing power of creative collaborations in helping solve some of the UK's most urgent challenges. A huge range of organisations came together to deliver the homes so quickly and professionally, with significant contributions of time and expertise from TSA Riley, Alia Future Homes and GSQ Brickworks, amongst others. 

The SoloHaus model provides a blueprint for tackling homelessness across the UK. Further details are available at https://solohaus.co.uk/.

ENDS

The installation of the DuoHaus units would not have been possible without help from the entire team, which consists of:

Main Project Team:

TSA Riley – Project manager, Cost consultant, Employers Agent (Pro-Bono)

Liz Lake Associates – Landscape Architect (Pro-Bono)

Trowers & Hamlins LLP – Construction Lawyer (Pro-bono)

Allia Impact Ltd – Client Advisor (pro-bono)

Lanpro – Architect, Planning Consultant, Principal Designer (CDM), Arboriculturist

The Hill Group – Main Contractor 

Volumetric Modular – Manufacturer

Perega – Structural & Civil Engineer

Other Consultants:

Ecology Solutions Ltd – Ecology assistance for planning (pro-bono)

Eton Environmental Group Ltd – R&D asbestos (pro-bono)

Sweco Building Control Ltd – Building Control

SLR Consulting Ltd – Transport Consultant

Survey Solutions – Measured Building Survey

Roberts Environmental Ltd – Ground Investigation

40Seven Ltd – Utility Site Survey & Report

Sunshine Survey Ltd – Topographical Survey

About The Hill Group

The Hill Group is a top 10 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.

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 950 staff, the company operates from six strategically located regional offices including Bristol and Abingdon to help facilitate growth in the South West and the Midlands, with its head office based in Waltham Abbey, Essex. 

Hill completed 2,886 homes in the last financial year and has a controlled development pipeline of over 8,800 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 title of WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year in 2015, 2020 and 2023. Most recently in 2024, Millside Grange in Croxley Green also won The Standard's Homes & Property Award for Best Commuter Home.

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. With a score of 4.8 out of 5, Hill is also ranked as the number one housebuilder on Trustpilot.

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

*The Hill Group was listed within the top 10 of the Top 150 UK Contractors and Housebuilders published by Building.co.uk in December 2024