Havering’s Relocatable Homes Pilot Gets the Go-Ahead in East London

A ground-breaking pilot project aimed at rethinking temporary housing has been approved in East London. Havering Council, in partnership with Wates Residential, has secured the green light for an 18-unit relocatable housing scheme that could mark a shift in how councils respond to the growing demand for short-term accommodation.

At the heart of the project is a forward-thinking design approach. The homes will be built using modern methods of construction (MMC), allowing them to be manufactured off-site and installed quickly. Uniquely, both the homes and their surrounding landscapes have been designed to be relocatable offering flexibility without compromising on quality or design. Built to the same regulatory standards as permanent housing, the homes are expected to last up to 60 years.

The scheme challenges conventional ideas about temporary accommodation. Often viewed as a stopgap or last resort, temporary housing in this model is treated with the same care and investment as permanent homes. Each unit is energy-efficient, thoughtfully designed, and intended to foster a genuine sense of place for its residents wherever it’s located.

“This decision shows what’s possible when we take bold approaches to tackling the housing crisis,” said Paul Nicholls, regional managing director for London at Wates Residential. “These homes demonstrate that temporary accommodation can be high-quality, energy-efficient and designed around people’s needs, not just a stopgap, but a real place to live and thrive.”

The pilot is part of Havering’s wider joint venture with Wates Residential, which has already been active in delivering new homes across the borough. If the relocatable housing model proves successful, it could be scaled up across London and beyond, offering councils a more agile and sustainable way to respond to urgent housing needs.

As the housing crisis continues to put pressure on local authorities, Havering’s initiative stands out as a thoughtful, human-centred solution, one that blends innovation with long-term vision and sets a new benchmark for what temporary housing can be.