Innovative modular solutions address urgent requirements quickly and cost effectively
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) faced significant challenges in finding and funding short-term accommodation for local people in the area who had found themselves homeless. The Council needed an innovative approach to address growing demand for temporary accommodation to improve lives, reduce costs and support families to move on to more permanent housing solutions.
Clear Futures has supported WNC throughout the process, providing expertise and additional capacity to develop the business case, secure capital funding, design the solutions and procure and manage the works on behalf of the Council. Planning permission was granted for 108 units in February 2026, with practical completion scheduled across two sites for September and December 2026.
The project will deliver safe, stable, high-quality and appropriate housing that will creating a supported community environment to improve outcomes for people looking to rebuild their lives after experiencing homelessness.
Addressing the housing challenge
West Northamptonshire Council faced increasing pressure on homelessness services driven by rising living costs and a shortage of affordable housing. The authority has a statutory duty under the Housing Act 1996 to provide temporary accommodation for vulnerable residents with priority needs—including families with children, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and those particularly vulnerable.
By 2024, the Council was supporting around 750 families in temporary accommodation, with over half placed in nightly lets at hotels and B&Bs—options that brought cost drawbacks and were unsuitable for families needing stability and support.
Clear Futures supporting the Council through a managed delivery process
Clear Futures co-ordinated all stages, including feasibility studies, site assessment, design development, planning support and procurement. Our expert team helped secure cabinet approvals for the scheme and implemented a procurement process to secure a Tier one supplier to deliver the off-site fabrication, civil engineering, installation and final handover – providing a turnkey solution that reduced risk and accelerated delivery for WNC.
- Site 1 (Edgar Mobbs Way, Sixfields): 70 units (14 one-bedroom, 56 two-bedroom) on a car park site near the Sixfields rugby stadium
- Site 2 (Birds Hill Walk, Weston Favell): 38 two-bedroom units on council-owned land previously home to a school
Key facts
- 108 relocatable units
- DDA, Building Regulations and SAP C compliant
- Affordable for tenants, with energy prices 10% below the OFGEM price cap
- Low cost to run and manage for WNC
- Two sites, creating communities with integrated amenities
- Both schemes delivered 10 months post-planning – around 12 months faster than traditional construction
Stable accommodation to reduce pressure on families and services
Clear Futures’ partnership with West Northamptonshire Council demonstrates how innovative procurement, modular construction, and place-based thinking can deliver rapid, cost-effective solutions to urgent public sector challenges.
By combining technical expertise and collaborative delivery, Clear Futures enabled the Council to transform its approach to temporary accommodation – improving outcomes for vulnerable residents, achieving substantial savings, and creating flexible, sustainable housing assets that serve the community.
This project underpins Clear Futures’ role as a trusted delivery partner for WNC, and for other local authorities facing complex housing, sustainability, and financial pressures.
A collaboration to support families
WNC is collaborating with Clear Futures to improve living standards and support families transitioning to permanent housing, whilst reducing costs for the Council.
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Our partnership with West Northamptonshire Council
We are working together to deliver infrastructure that maximises outcomes for local people.
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