In recent years several Scottish councils have declared a housing emergency, including both Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Jacqueline Fernie, a homelessness and housing manager for South Lanarkshire Council, said the problem had soared in the region since the Covid pandemic.
She estimated that the average number had gone from about 1000 people being considered homeless several years ago to around 1,500, due to a number of factors.
She said: "Traditionally, the highest number of homeless people are ones who have been asked to leave the family home.
"Now we also have the private rental sector shrinking, so more people lose private sector accommodation and at the same time there is now no room for people to start moving into that sector.
"Affordability is now a bigger problem than it has ever been before."
She first visited the Edinburgh homeless village about four years ago, and was keen to bring a similar project to South Lanarkshire.
Fernie told BBC Scotland News the idea could make a difference by giving people staying there independence and responsibility, both over their own homes and the wider village site.
She added: "Normally the payoff for staying in good quality supported accommodation is that you will be living in a small room and sharing facilities, so you are not actually managing a house.
"This for me is the best of both worlds. You've got your own home to manage but you have support on site with you. I think this can make a real difference for people who are caught in a cycle of repeat homelessness."
Bazzatron on April 15th, 2026 at 09:17 UTC »
Christ, thats brilliant. I initially misinterpreted it as being hostels being cancelled in favour of building profitable real estate, but this is fantastic beyond what I would have hoped.
Spudbanger on April 15th, 2026 at 09:00 UTC »
Looks terrific - respectful and compassionate. Hope it includes nearby transport and job opportunities,
Upstairs_Drive_5602 on April 15th, 2026 at 08:55 UTC »
A £3m housing village has opened in Rutherglen, Scotland, created by Social Bite in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council. The site, known as Harriet Gardens, provides small modular “nest homes” for up to 15 residents at a time, alongside shared facilities such as a gym, kitchen, and community hub.
Designed to offer both independence and support, the village is run with 24-hour assistance from the The Salvation Army. Founder Josh Littlejohn says the model aims to help people rebuild confidence and transition out of homelessness, avoiding the cycle often associated with temporary hostels or B&B accommodation.
Built on former industrial land, the project is the second of its kind in Scotland and comes as homelessness rises across the country. Supporters hope similar villages could be expanded nationwide, combining stable housing with community integration to create a more sustainable path out of homelessness.