Modular Homes Scheme Breaks Ground at Blue Bell Hill to Tackle Homelessness

Work has started on a scheme that could offer a partial fix to one of the borough's most persistent housing headaches: where to put families who have nowhere else to live while they wait for something more permanent. Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has begun site preparation on the former commuter car park at Blue Bell Hill, where 12 self-contained modular homes are due to be assembled from September.

The scheme is the first of its kind in the borough, and comes as the council grapples with rising demand for temporary accommodation. According to figures released alongside the announcement, between 90 and 100 households are currently on the list waiting for temporary housing in Tonbridge and Malling — a number that underlines just how stretched the local housing safety net has become. Running that safety net is not cheap either: the council says it currently spends around £2.2 million a year providing temporary accommodation.

That spending pressure is one reason the Blue Bell Hill project matters beyond the 12 households it will directly house. The council currently owns or leases roughly 30 properties across the borough for this purpose, but has struggled to secure suitable options in the north of the borough specifically. A permanent, purpose-built development at Blue Bell Hill should help close that geographic gap, potentially reducing reliance on more expensive, less suitable temporary arrangements elsewhere.

The homes themselves are being built to a high specification for what is often thought of as short-term housing: designed to last more than a century, rated EPC A, and fitted with solar photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps. That combination of high-performance insulation and low-carbon technology is intended to keep running costs down for residents as much as to meet environmental targets — a meaningful consideration for families already under financial strain.

The project cleared planning committee earlier this year with unanimous approval from councillors, and construction is now being led by Zed Pods Limited, a modular homes specialist. Because the units are precision-built off-site and only assembled at Blue Bell Hill, the council says the approach should mean faster delivery and less disruption for neighbours than a conventional build. Cllr Robin Betts, the council's Cabinet Member for Housing, Environment and Economy, said it was "great to be here today to mark the construction of these EPC A rated energy efficient homes," adding that "everyone has a right to a decent place to live." Zed Pods chairman Tom Northway said the project "shows how offsite construction can help deliver high-quality, energy-efficient homes."

An on-site office is also planned, which will allow council housing staff to manage the properties and support residents directly rather than remotely — a detail that suggests the council is trying to build in ongoing support rather than simply providing bricks and mortar. Construction is expected to be finished in time for residents to move in by spring next year, which would put the scheme's full impact on the borough's waiting list roughly a year away. Source: Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council