New modular homes open in Bristol to help homeless families rebuild their lives
Five new homes at Fortfield Road offer families space and privacy instead of hotel rooms
Five new modular homes have opened in Bristol to provide temporary accommodation for families experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The two-bedroom homes, at Fortfield Road, were officially opened on 14th September 2026.
They form part of Places for People's Space to Start campaign, which is calling for wider use of modular housing as a faster, more suitable alternative to hotels, B&Bs and other temporary accommodation.
More than 134,000 households in England, including 176,000 children, are currently living in temporary accommodation, according to the latest Government figures.
For many, that means months or even years in cramped hotel rooms, hostels and B&Bs, often moving between places with little privacy, no cooking facilities and no permanent address.
Councils across England spend £2.8 billion a year on temporary accommodation, with costs forecast to approach £4 billion by the end of the decade.
Based on Places for People's experience in Bristol, moving a household from emergency hotel or B&B accommodation into a modular home could save councils up to £24,500 a year.
The homes were built by Places for People's specialist modular developer, Modularwise.
They include one fully accessible home for wheelchair users, designed to give residents with mobility needs greater independence.
Each home gives families their own front door, bedrooms, living space and a fully fitted kitchen.
Unlike hotel or B&B accommodation, they provide the privacy, space and facilities needed to live independently while working towards a permanent home.
The homes are built using modern methods of construction, largely manufactured off site before being transported and installed at Fortfield Road.
Fortfield Road has provided temporary accommodation and support to families in crisis since 2001, managed by Places for People.
The existing service offers secure housing and wrap-around support to 22 families, with residents able to stay for up to two years while they regain stability and prepare for permanent housing.
The new homes, built on the same site, will also be managed by Places for People in partnership with Bristol City Council.
Residents will be connected to healthcare, mental health services, education and employment support.
The scheme shows how councils can help unlock more housing by making suitable public land available, with Bristol City Council working alongside Places for People to bring the Fortfield Road site forward.
Christine Candlish, Director of Living Plus at Places for People, said: "Opening these new homes at Fortfield Road is an important step in giving families something that temporary accommodation too often cannot – space, security and a real sense of home."