The homelessness charity, Social Bite, has officially opened its flagship village, using modular housing on an empty site, showing one way of introducing a scalable solution to address the housing emergency.
Social Bite celebrated the opening of the relocated and expanded development on 29 June. The initiative, run in partnership with charity Cyrenians, acts as a proof of concept for constructing temporary, high-quality community housing on vacant or derelict urban sites.
The newly expanded village features 16 homes – including six brand-new pre-built structures alongside ten fully refurbished properties.
The site will provide a supportive, alcohol-free community for 15 residents transitioning from hostels, B&Bs, and rough sleeping, with on-site support provided by a professional team and peer volunteers.
The village model, which has helped over 100 people secure permanent housing and jobs over the last eight years, recently gained backing from high-profile celebrities including George Clooney, Bob Geldof, and Rob Brydon.
The charity is urging local authorities across the country to adopt similar modular models to end homelessness.
Josh Littlejohn, MBE, founder of Social Bite, said the flagship development shows how homelessness accommodation can be delivered differently.
Josh said: “The village model is about more than putting a roof over people’s heads – it’s about building a beautiful, supportive community that restores hope and dignity.
“Our new village is a real flagship for this model. Looking ahead, we look forward to working with other councils to create Social Bite Village projects throughout the UK.”
Kate Wallace, the newly appointed Chief Executive of Cyrenians, highlighted the long-term success of the wraparound support model.
Kate said: “Today marks a new chapter as we move to a brand new location, with new buildings and space to help even more people.
“Over the last eight years, Cyrenians has worked with Social Bite to provide support for the residents of the Village – a unique model that doesn’t just house people, but supports them to thrive.
“I am excited to continue our successful partnership, working together to create a world where supported housing like this is available to all those who need it.”
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