Work to build nearly 100 new temporary homes for local homeless people is now underway on a former weighbridge site in Dagenham.
The Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, Cllr Darren Rodwell and Be First’s Construction Director, Tom Mather went to see how work was progressing on Thursday (28 March 2018).
Cllr Rodwell said: “It’s good to see that work has started so soon after we gave the go-ahead to build these new homes.
“This is yet another example of our determination to make sure local families who become homeless have a roof over their heads.”
Tom Mather, Construction Director at Be First, said: “We’re not standing on ceremony at Be First. We’re cracking on with our mission to build a better borough and to deliver thousands of affordable homes for local people.”
Ed Bartlett, Project Leader at Jerram Falkus said, “We are pleased to have commenced works on the Weighbridge site this month and it is exciting for us to deliver one of Barking and Dagenham’s first modular housing developments. We look forward to working in partnership with Be First on this unique project to construct quality homes to improve the lives of local homeless people.”
The new ninety-two new homes at the site in Cook Road, Dagenham, will be built off-site using top quality modular materials and methods.
The homes feature 24 one-bedroom flats, 36 two-bedroom flats and 32-three-bedroom homes.
These properties will be used to house families who would otherwise be forced into expensive and insecure hostel and other temporary accommodation, in and outside the borough.
This means the council is offering an additional safety net for homeless families to remain in the borough at the same time as reducing the cost of providing temporary accommodation which is currently £14m a year.
The project is part of the company’s wider programme to build up to 150 homes around for homeless people in the borough.
See Cllr Rodwell’s reaction here.
More details about the project here.
