They were originally labelled as ‘emergency housing needs’ to deal with the knock-on effects of the covid crisis.

Two years down the line, most of the Hubberston ‘homeless pods’ remain vacant despite a massive hike in homelessness figures throughout the county.

Now, to add insult to injury, recent figures published by Pembrokeshire County Council confirm that the total cost of converting the eight shipping containers for residential use at the former Hubberston School site has hit £686,800, which equates to £85,850 per pod.

This sum is way above the Welsh government’s original grant of £332,000 as a result, according to the local authority, of ‘unforeseen works’. But details of what those unforeseen works were have yet to be disclosed.

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“It all smacks of the sort of practices that democratic bodies like Pembrokeshire County Council should avoid at all costs,” said Cllr Mike Stoddart, local county member for Hubberston.

“It was May 2021 when I first heard about this project when I was told that foundations were being prepared for homeless pods. A decision had been made to buy them in late 2020, but no consultation whatsoever had taken place with residents of Observatory Avenue, Harbour Way nor myself as a local member.”

Cllr Stoddart went on to say that the pods were expected to be completed for residential use by September 2021.

“But it wasn’t until November of that year that a contractor was appointed to carry out works including water and electricity connections.

“Now, almost two years after all this kicked off, these urgently needed pods are still not occupied. I really don’t know what the word ‘timely’ means in the housing department of Pembrokeshire County Council.”

The fact that the completion of the pods exceeded the original 12-month time scale has resulted in the county council having to extend its application to five years.

But Cllr Stoddart is concerned the delay will prevent future housing developments from taking place on the Hubberston site.

“The pods were initially supposed to be there for 12 months but we now have a five-year extension that will sterilise the site for future permanent affordable housing until around 2027.

“There was more than enough time for a proper full planning application to have been submitted but instead, the pods are still vacant despite the number of people who are currently crying out for accommodation.”