Harriet Gardens, South Lanarkshire
Welcome to the newest Social Bite Village — a powerful alternative to traditional temporary accommodation in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire.
Our South Lanarkshire Village, also known as Harriet Gardens, is a purpose-built, highly supported community, established in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council and run day-to-day by Salvation Army.
At a time when demand for temporary accommodation is soaring, it will provide 15 beautiful, self-contained homes for people experiencing homelessness in a calm, dignified environment.
Community members are expected to live here for around 6–12 months, with intensive wraparound support, a vibrant weekly timetable, and opportunities to learn new skills, volunteer, and move into employment.
It’s a place to rebuild confidence, enjoy a dignified home, and take the next steps towards a stable, independent life.
Round-the-clock support
Residents will have intensive, on‑site support from delivery partner Salvation Army's skilled team, available 24/7 to offer practical help, emotional support and guidance with day‑to‑day challenges.
There will be a full weekly timetable, with activities like exercise, cooking, recovery groups, and skills sessions designed to build confidence, routine and wellbeing.
Staff and volunteers will help people plan their next steps, access training, volunteering and work, and get ready to move on to a permanent home they can sustain.
Beautiful, sustainable homes
Each home at the South Lanarkshire Village is a thoughtfully designed “nest house” built by Ecosystems Technologies: a compact, energy‑efficient timber mini‑home with its own front door, kitchen, bathroom and living space, arranged around shared green areas for a neighbourhood feel. Big windows bring in sunlight, and leafy pathways will link residents to the community hub and peaceful outdoor spots; a beautiful home can have a profound effect on someone’s wellbeing.
Both the houses and community hub have been built using innovative cross-laminated Scottish timber, making locally sourced wood strong and stable enough for housebuilding. The timber is processed through Scotland’s only vacuum press at the BE-ST factory in Blantyre, then manufactured into complete homes at Ecosystems’ factory in Invergordon using a highly efficient, weather-protected process. The houses have an estimated lifespan of 60 years.
Off-site construction cuts total build time down to just months. Buildings are made in advance to exact standards and on-site work is reduced to groundworks, before the finished units are delivered, craned into place, and installed on light-touch foundations.
The community hub
The community hub will sit at the heart of the South Lanarkshire Village, giving residents a warm, shared space to cook, relax and spend time together.
Equipped with a communal kitchen, social areas, counselling rooms, outdoor decking, and exercise facilities, it will host activities focused on personal growth, training and recovery.
It’s all about helping people build strong relationships, and giving them the confidence to complete their journey to independence.
Celebrating South Lanarkshire’s first Social Bite Village
Harriet Gardens will open in Spring 2026 thanks to the generous donations of thousands of supporters and businesses as well as pro-bono professional support from companies in the construction industry.
South Lanarkshire Council was drawn to partnering with Social Bite on the construction of the village because of the compassionate and forward‑thinking ethos the model represents.
Watch the pre-built houses travelling to Rutherglen
Help us build two new Social Bite Villages
Our experience in Edinburgh has shown that a supported accommodation model can break the cycle of homelessness for good.
We need you help to provide the same opportunity in South Lanarkshire and Dundee.
Find out more
Social Bite Villages
Find out about the whole approach to the Social Bite Villages and other locations.
Questions?
If you work in local authority housing and are interested in hearing how you could bring a Social Bite Village to your area, get in touch.