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More modular homes for the homeless set for land near Hills Road




The first modular homes from the It Takes A City partnership are ready to be transported to land near Hills Road owned by Cambridge City Council.

A completed New Meaning modular home
A completed New Meaning modular home

The units will be made available to single homeless people along with wrap-around support. They are environmentally friendly, fully equipped and built by New Meaning Foundation, which designed and built Cambridge’s first modular homes, currently in use at the Church of Christ the Redeemer on Newmarket Road.

It Takes a City Homes (ITAC Homes) is a movement to bring the community together to end rough sleeping, formed after the 2018 Cambridge Summit on Homelessness. It is part of a charitable community benefit society established by local housing partners with support from Cambridge City Council and the National Philanthropic Trust UK (NPT UK).

ITAC Homes has so far procured six modular homes from New Meaning Foundation. All six are built and ready in the factory, and four are due to be transported for installation at the new site.

New Meaning Foundation’s Nick Popplewell, left, with co-founder John Evans
New Meaning Foundation’s Nick Popplewell, left, with co-founder John Evans

Subject to planning, the single-occupancy homes will be installed this year, with residents moving in during the autumn and staying for up to two years.

Chris Dade, ITAC services manager, said: “Accommodating people will be just the start as we look at how we can assist them in identifying suitable employment, volunteering, education and training opportunities.”

The project doesn’t end when the homes are dropped off.

Residents will receive an extensive support package from ITAC Homes, with regular visits from staff and volunteers, and referrals/signposting to a wide range of statutory and voluntary sector organisations.

“Partnership working is at the heart of what we do,” an ITAC spokesperson said. “We couldn’t have reached this stage without help, including considerable pro bono support.”

The modular home style for ITAC Homes to be located on land near Hills Road owned by Cambridge City Council
The modular home style for ITAC Homes to be located on land near Hills Road owned by Cambridge City Council

Contibutors include Carter Jonas, Bidwells, Archangel Architects, CB3 Consulting, Stantec and LandAid.

Lis Silver, ITAC’s CEO, said: “These ITAC homes combined with ITAC’s ‘survive and thrive’ support service can be transformational, helping not just to relieve homelessness but to ensure a sustained journey away from the street.”

ITAC Homes is working to secure more sites and it plans a land summit later this year to help.



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