New Modular Pods Help Leisure Sectors Diversify
New modular pods concept has been launched by HPA and JT Construction, helping hotel and leisure operators diversify offerings and lengthen holiday seasons.
PlusPods is a new system of interconnecting modular structures to create adaptable accommodation for a variety of uses. HPA teamed up with specialist timber home manufacturer JT Construction to design the Pods, which can serve as glamping, holiday cottages, garden rooms for hotels and pubs, home offices, or even small homes.
They are high energy-efficient, insulated to the same standard as a house, rather than the lower standard required for caravans, garden rooms, and glamping pods. They also have a low visual impact as they use natural sustainably-sourced larch for the walls and can be delivered with a sedum roof for sensitive environments like National Parks and National Landscapes.
LUXURY GLAMPING
Richard Wooldridge, director at HPA, said: “I had the idea for PlusPods while on a family glamping holiday. I realised that a highly insulated glamping pod would be able to lengthen tourist seasons by providing comfortable accommodation in the winter months.
“There has been a great deal of interest in the pods since the prototype was built in 2018. Early enquiries have included combining to form luxury glamping pods with living and sleeping space, kitchen, and shower room. There’s also been interest from hotels looking to use the pods as garden suite. There’s even been interest in using them as modular accommodation for TV and film sets. A number of these ideas are now at Planning stage.”
HPA has previously worked with JT Construction on a number of projects, including a luxury leisure development at Twin Lakes.
INSULATION
James Titterington, director of JT, commented: “We’re delighted to be working on this exciting project with Richard and his team. The units are competitively priced and compare favourably with the existing market leaders in glamping pods – which are generally built to a lower thermal standard.”
The PlusPods living space is created using two base modules – the larger master pod that can provide living space or sleeping areas, and the bathroom pod for bathrooms, studios, or office space.
The individual pods can then be moved around the base design to form a pod configuration that fits the location, size and needs of the owner. They can also be supplied with extras such as solar panels to generate electricity and a log-burner or pellet stove to provide heat.
