Social Bite Village to welcome first residents before Christmas

A new village for homeless people will be up and running before Christmas.

The Social Bite Village in Edinburgh will consist of 10 two-bedroom homes and organisers say it aims to provide an alternative to a “broken temporary accommodation system” for those struggling with homelessness.

The transportable houses are now under construction after more than 300 of Scotland’s most influential people, including Olympian Sir Chris Hoy, slept rough overnight last December to raise the £500,000 needed for the project.

The village will be built on a 1.5-acre site of vacant council land which has been given to Social Bite on a “meanwhile use” basis, meaning it can be used until the land needs to be developed.

As well as the 10 homes, the village, in the Granton area, will have a communal building where residents can eat together, socialise, work, learn and receive support.

Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, a sandwich chain which supports and employs homeless people, said: “We’re so pleased that the Social Bite village will be up and running this year and we’re edging closer and closer to creating what we believe can be an effective alternative to a broken temporary accommodation system for people struggling with homelessness.

“Only seven months ago we experienced an incredible night with some of the country’s most successful and influential people taking part in our CEO Sleep Out to raise the money that would turn this from a nice idea into a reality and make a real impact to people who need our help.

“Now we’re about to break ground on the site and the first house will be displayed in St Andrews Square throughout August for anyone to come and see.

“The end result will be an inclusive, compassionate community that will provide a vital support network to people who are ready to be helped back into society.

“The village is only a small part of a much bigger answer required to end homelessness but it could be a blueprint for how social enterprise, charity, council and corporates work together on a solution that makes a difference.”

Social Bite’s main charity partner on the project is Cyrenians.

Residents will be made up of those living in unsupported temporary accommodation, shelters, hostels and B&Bs and they will have a dedicated support team from Social Bite and Cyrenians to help them transition into permanent accommodation and employment.

The village will provide a safe living environment for up to 20 people from a homeless background for around 12 months at a time, with residents then beginning their transition back into society.

Ewan Aitken, chief executive of Cyrenians, said: “Through participation in the Social Bite Village we’ll support residents to build and nurture their relationships, find employment, to manage their money and once they move on, to maintain a tenancy.”

The homes, designed by architect Jonathan Avery of Tiny House Scotland, are being manufactured by Carbon Dynamics.