Only a matter of weeks after the former Hubberston VC School was knocked down, Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed that a new homeless facility will be present on the site.

The council has confirmed that after securing funding from Welsh Government in November 2020, eight pre-fabricated 'pods' will provide temporary accommodation in Hubberston, Milford Haven.

There was much speculation previously that the former school site was to be used for social housing, but the new pods will now combat 'rising numbers of homeless people in the local area.'

According to the county council, the decision was made and then 'a meeting was held earlier this week with local county councillors' to inform them of the siting of these pods.

The pre-fabricated temporary pods incorporate disabled access and are made from adapted shipping containers that include two units of one-bedroom self-contained accommodation with a living/kitchen/dining area and separate bathroom.

Expected to be in place by the end of July, the pods can be temporarily located at the Hubberston site under planning permitted development allowance for a period of 12 months.

Two smaller pods have also be bought in partnership with Milford Haven-based Nantucket Church and Pembrokeshire Care Society.

Pembrokeshire County Council said: "Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to offer homes to anyone without one.

"Currently within Pembrokeshire there is shortage of one bedroom residences, and lockdown has seen a sharp rise in numbers of people needing that kind of accommodation.

"The unsustainable emergency response is currently to place those in need in three B and B’s/guesthouses across the county which will at some point in the future be returned to use as holiday accommodation as Covid-19 restrictions ease and tourism returns to the county."

Upon the pods' arrival in July, the county council will invite the local community to attend open days to view the pods and speak with PCC Housing officers, and then expect the pods to be filled in September.

The county council continued: "Alongside the offer of safe accommodation, we will also provide support to those who have been placed there to enable them to transition to permanent accommodation."

Cabinet member for housing, Cllr Michelle Bateman said: “It’s great to be able to respond to the growing need for homeless accommodation in Pembrokeshire.

"We welcome the trialling of these pods following receipt of the grant funding and we would like to invite the local community to come and see the Pods for themselves before we start to allocate people to live short term in these brilliant spaces.”

Pembrokeshire County Council invites anyone who wishes to communicate their views, opinions or seek further information about the development to email the housing customer liaison team at housingCLO@pembrokeshire.gov.uk.