A block of flats has been built for the city's homeless .. in just THREE days.

The £1.1 million flats in Webster Court were constructed as a county-wide initiative to tackle homelessness with long-term solutions.

Six pre-fabricated flats were craned into place, with each of the stories built in just one day. This method was chosen due to the speed of construction and to minimise disruption to the surrounding area.

The flats will be for those who are homeless, offering tenancies of between six and 24 months. The block is adjacent to the Webster Court housing with care scheme run by St Martin’s Housing Trust.

Andrew Savage, executive development director at Broadland Housing Association, whose team managed the construction, said: "The fundamental issue we have in the UK, and in Norwich, is that we do not have enough housing.

"That is why we have a problem, that is why we have street homelessness, that is why so many vulnerable groups are struggling to find the right accommodation. That is why it’s so important to be delivering housing."

Gail Harris, cabinet member for social housing at Norwich City Council, said: "We are in desperate need of homes for people who might be homeless or who are on the verge of being homeless.

"None of us can do it by ourselves, it’s too big a problem, but if you can work with organisations who have the same ethos the results can be tremendous.

"It’s so wonderful to see these homes that have grown almost overnight. What a start for someone who could have their lives changed and with the proper support will be able to progress through life in a far better place."

The first tenants are scheduled to move in before the end of December 2021.

The flats were built in a partnership between Norwich City Council, which gifted the land, and Broadland Housing Association, which funded the construction with support from the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities and Homes England.

The project has also helped by tenancy support providers St Martin’s Housing Trust and The Magdalen Group, modular supplier Modpods International, technical consultants Ingleton Wood, Aecom and Rossi Long, Munnings Construction.