The managers of a temporary housing complex made from 36 shipping containers are asking permission for it to stay in Brighton for a further two years, saying it’s become increasingly hard to find homes for rough sleepers in the city.
Richardson’s Yard, in New England Road, was built in 2013 by Brighton Housing Trust – now BHT Sussex – with an original lease of five years.
This was extended for another five years to May 2023 – but BHT Sussex and its partner QED Sustainable Urban Developments are asking for a further two years.
A planning application has been submitted, and BHT is separately liasing with Brighton and Hove City Council, which owns the site, to extend the lease.
The 36 self-contained flats at Richardson’s Yard were converted from shipping containers and offer housing for people who might otherwise have been sleeping rough. Its residents are then eventually moved on into more secure housing.
Richardson’s Yard was originally conceived to help address the housing crisis in Brighton in 2013 with an original lease of five years which extended for a further five years in 2018.
In the application, BHT chief executive David Chaffey said that the scheme made a significant contribution to reducing rough sleeping in the city – and was excellent value for money.
He said: “Demand for the accommodation remains high and we have no difficulty in letting the homes.
“An external and internal review has been undertaken of the properties and they remain fit for purpose for at least a further two years.
“After some initial teething problems, including isolated cases of anti-social behaviour which is inevitable in any development of 36 homes for people with a history of homelessness, the scheme has been very successful with high occupancy levels and few tenancy breakdowns.
“Overall, Richardson’s Yard continues to serve its purpose to provide independent accommodation for those in housing need, often as move on from specialist supported housing.
“It has allowed tenants to experience independent living and to build a housing portfolio, including a reference, that they can present to private landlords. To date, the development has housed 135 individuals with more than half having moved on to longer-term tenancies within Brighton.”
Bernadette Lynch, the accommodation for work project manager at BHT, said: “Having access to refer people to Richardson’s Yard is an invaluable support for residents who are ready to move on to their own tenancy.
“It has become increasingly difficult to find accommodation where people can move on in Brighton and Hove.
“Richardson’s Yard provides residents a fantastic opportunity, to have their own self-contained accommodation, to build on their tenancy skills and to gain a good reference to help them make plans for their next steps in housing.
“Having Richardson’s Yard available to move residents on to when they are ready enables us to work with more people who are homeless and need our support.”
