Temporary housing built for Cornwall NHS staff in car park

Seacole House is due to become operational in late autumn 2022 (artist's impression)

An NHS trust is putting a three-story block of temporary units in a car park to house staff relocating to the area.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is placing the six modular units in a car park beside one of its properties in Redruth.

They will be lived in for up to three months by staff moving for work.

The trust's chief executive said the units would help "attract people to the trust and health and social care careers in Cornwall".

Debbie Richards added: "One of the key pieces of feedback from our existing and new staff is the challenge of securing affordable local housing.

"I hope, by providing some of our new starters with short-term accommodation, we will enable them to settle into their new role without having to worry about where they'll live too, especially if they are new to the area."

The roof of the building will be fitted with solar panels to generate electricity (artist's impression)

The Zed Pods are largely manufactured in factories, meaning they can be installed quickly at Tolvean House.

Each unit has a lockable door and can accommodate two people in separate bedrooms that have space for someone to study.

They contain a shared open plan living, kitchen and dining areas, and a bathroom.

More accommodation

The roof will have solar panels to generate electricity and hot water will be provided by a solar-assisted heat pump in each unit.

The trust said it was also working with Cornwall Council and Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust to "make more key worker accommodation available across the county".

Lindsey Wild, Strategic Property Manager for Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: "They are 'turnkey' units, which means that they are fully fitted out and furnished upon delivery and will only require minimal additional items before staff can move in." ​

Thomas Northway, chairman of Zed Pods, said: "We are extremely delighted to be working with the [trust] to design and build this ground-breaking sustainable development."