New units aimed at solving housing crisis
Plans for an innovative housing solution called Y:Cube, which can potentially solve Britain's housing crisis has been unveiled in Wimbledon.
The Y:Cube unit only costs £30,000 to build, and for the planned scheme in Mitcham one-bedroom homes will be let at 65 per cent of the market rent, which today is around £140 a week.
The innovative housing solution is developed by the YMCA London South West in partnership with architect practice Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners.
Kieran Kurup, aged 22, and Archie Greene, 23, former YMCA residents living in Wimbledon, have played a special role in the development of the Y:Cube, functioning as YMCA LSW's special consultants through the project.
Residents who still live in the hostel in The Broadway will get a morale boost from having the Y:Cube in their backyard for the next following months, they claim.
Kieran said: "It shows there is hope after you leave the YMCA LSW; that there will be something that people who have been homeless and lived in hostel accommodation can afford to go on to. Because that’s the great thing about Y:Cube; even though it is for young people with few resources, they have not cut down on the quality."
Andy Redfearn, Director of Housing and Development at YMCA LSW, said: "Now that the Y:Cube prototype is officially opened, we are all set to start spreading the word about this great scheme to the public.
"The prototype will be here at YMCA Wimbledon until May or June, and throughout the next months we hope to host several special events and public viewings for interested parties. If any local businesses or organisations are interested in holding a business meeting or hosting an event here we are more than willing to accommodate that".
Richard Blakeway, Deputy Mayor of Housing, Land and Property has paid the Y:Cube a visit. He said: "Y:Cube is a fantastic example of the innovative housing projects we support to address a range of housing demands. This quality modular design will help ease vulnerable young people into independent living, whilst they prepare for longer term accommodation."
Siobhan McDonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, also visited the Y:Cube and is pictured above with Andy Redfearn. She was very positive about the planned housing scheme in Mitcham, which if all goes according to the plan will be welcoming its first 36 inhabitants in ten months' time.
She said: "I am proud that Mitcham is going to get the first Y:Cube housing scheme. The housing situation in London is desperate and anything that provides an easy possibility of housing young people should be supported. Currently I'm so excited about this scheme that I am looking for other possible sites in the Merton area where we can plan future Y:Cube housing schemes".
February 19, 2014
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