The UK’s largest temporary accommodation scheme has opened in London, using offsite techniques to provide homes for 290 people over the Christmas holidays.

Meath Court, in Acton’s Hope Gardens, is a 60-apartment development comprising homes made up of a kit of moveable and reusable parts of UK-produced shipping containers. 

The development includes communal space, onsite management office, laundry and refuse storage and will house young families and low-income individuals in need of immediate emergency accommodation.

The scheme was put together in 24 weeks by property company QED in partnership with Ealing council and follows on from a similar venture, Marston Court, launched in March 2017.

Ross Gilbert, managing director of Property Company QED, said: “We are committed to playing our part in addressing the housing crisis. We need short, medium and long-term solutions and Meath Court is a short-term solution to emergency accommodation.

“Throughout the planning and public consultation of the development we have ensured that Meath Court provides emergency accommodation that has its own kitchen, bathroom and front door which is safe and secure, all features that many emergency accommodation solutions don’t provide. 

“Meath Court is made up of a kit of moveable and reusable parts of UK produced shipping containers, on a redundant urban site whilst more permanent developments are underway.”

Ealing Council has 2,242 households residing in temporary accommodation and is suffering a steady decline in the availability of suitable options, particularly in-borough. Hope Gardens was previously an underused brownfield site in Ealing which has been identified for long-term redevelopment post-2024.