City councillors backed iKosie’s plans for 16 single-person homes to be built on a brownfield site in the city centre. It will be the UK’s first community of iKosie’s micro-homes.
The design of the homes was inspired by yacht interiors and first-class airline suites. The company’s director Kieran O'Donnell hopes that the development could be a template and inspiration for similar housing solutions across the country. The iKozie micro-home, which was designed by O'Donnell and Andrew Eastabrook of Eastabrook Architects, has an area 17.25m2. The iKozie has a bedroom, shower room, living area and full kitchen including all appliances.
The Worcester scheme will contain five affordable homes - which will be allocated to individuals put forward from Worcester City Council's housing list - with the remainder being rented privately. Of the 16 homes on the plot, two will be disabled friendly, while a proportion will be double-stacked.
Plans for the site were submitted by iKozie at the start of the year in collaboration with Worcestershire-based Planning Prospects, which played an instrumental role in getting the development through the process and approved, following consultation with the city council and residents.
Councillor James Stanley, chair of the city council's communities committee, said: "This is a much-needed and innovative housing solution, which will help more people in the city to live independently while also benefitting from being part of a wider community."
O'Donnell said: “The approval of the first iKozie community will draw a lot of attention from around the country and Worcester City Council is to be congratulated for its vision in supporting this innovative housing scheme. It hasn't been an easy road to get here as we have revised the plans to ensure the council's view and the thoughts and concerns of residents near the development have been taken into consideration.”
Construction will begin in early 2019, with first residents expected to be in by this time next year.
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