Homeless village approved for South Lanarkshire

Councillors in South Lanarkshire have given the go-ahead for a £3m village for homeless people to be built in Rutherglen.

The development will be built on the site of the former Westfield Saw Mills.

It will consist of 16 sustainable modular homes known as Nest Houses which will be manufactured by Scottish company Ecosystems Technologies.

The project will be delivered in partnership between the authority and the charity Social Bite.

A similar village was launched by the charity in Edinburgh in 2018.

The Rutherglen development will house 15 tenants with one house given over to on-site staff.

The site will also include a community hub with lounge and kitchen area. This will allow for activities including therapeutic group work.

The project will be managed by a specialist housing support provider, supporting the tenants ahead of a move on to fully independent living.

Councillor Davie McLachlan said he was delighted with the approval and praised Social Bite's track record with similar projects.

“The site has been designed to ensure that it will integrate with its wider surroundings, is sustainable and can provide a range of services," he said.

Social Bite is a leading homelessness charity across the UK.

Founder Josh Littlejohn said the new development was an important step toward achieving its vision that "everyone deserves a safe and supportive place to call home".

“It was revealed today that Scottish homelessness is at its highest in 10 years and we are proud to be part of the solution which is not just needed but completely essential," he said.

"We have seen first-hand from our Edinburgh village the huge impact these make on those living in them and we’re excited to build on this success and help make lasting change in the fight to end homelessness in Scotland."

The village is due to begin construction in early 2025 with plans for completion by summer that year.