Does Every Space Requirement Need a Permanent Building?

Why modular hire deserves greater consideration in modern estates planning.

When an organisation needs additional space, there are several decisions to make. What type of accommodation is required? Where will it go? What budget is available? And how quickly does it need to become operational?

But there's another consideration that can significantly influence the approach taken.

How long will that additional space actually be needed for?

Across education, healthcare and commercial sectors, organisations face changing accommodation requirements. Schools experience fluctuations in pupil numbers, hospitals require temporary facilities during refurbishment programmes, universities face changing teaching demands, and businesses need space to support new contracts or operational requirements.

Not every requirement for additional accommodation is permanent, and purchasing a new building isn't necessarily the most appropriate starting point.

At Elite Systems GB, we believe modular hire deserves greater consideration, not simply as a temporary solution, but as part of an organisation's wider estates strategy.

Temporary Doesn't Have to Mean a Compromise on Quality

The word 'temporary' can sometimes create the wrong impression

It can suggest basic facilities, limited specifications or accommodation intended simply to bridge a gap until something more permanent becomes available.

But why should the length of time a building is required determine the importance placed on its quality?

A classroom hired for an academic year still needs to provide a suitable teaching environment. A temporary healthcare facility still needs to support the services operating within it, while an office building required for a defined period needs to meet the everyday requirements of its occupants.

Modern modular hire buildings can incorporate many of the same considerations around comfort, accessibility, energy performance and functionality as buildings intended for permanent use.

The requirement might be temporary, but the expectations of the building shouldn't necessarily be any different.

There's Value in Keeping Options Open

For many organisations, the challenge isn't simply finding additional space. It's making decisions about that space when future requirements aren't yet fully established.

A school may need additioal teaching capacity while longer-term estate plans are developed. A hospital might require temporary facilities during a phased redevelopment programme. A business could need additional operational space to support a new contract without knowing whether that requirement will continue indefinitely.

In these circumstances, committing to purchasing a permanent building may not always be the most appropriate decision.

Budget can also influence the approach taken.

For organisations that require additional space but don't have the capital budget available for an outright purchase, modular hire can provide an alternative route to securing the building they need without the same upfront financial commitment.

However, the value of hire extends beyond the initial financial decision.

It allows organisations to respond to immediate requirements while retaining flexibility over what happens next.

Nor does temporary necessarily mean a building is required for only a short period. At Elite Systems GB, hire periods start from six months, with buildings able to remain in place for extended periods where this better suits an organisation's operational needs and wider estates plans.

Sometimes the value isn't simply in creating additional space. It's in avoiding a permanent commitment before the longer-term requirement is clear.

We've Seen This in Practice

At Elite Systems GB, we've delivered modular hire projects for organisations with very different accommodation requirements.

For the University of West London, we supplied a temporary modular lecture theatre on a 39-week hire period, providing additional teaching accommodation for a defined requirement without the university needing to purchase a permanent building.

At St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, we provided a modular mortuary facility that was initially supplied on hire to support the hospital's operational requirements.

The building was subsequently purchased.

The St Richard's project is a particularly useful example of why hire and purchase don't always need to be viewed as two entirely separate approaches.

Requirements can change. What begins as a temporary need may develop into a longer-term requirement, and in some circumstances, retaining the existing building through a subsequent purchase may be an option.

It's a reminder that the initial decision doesn't always have to determine a building's long-term future.

Considering Modular Hire Earlier in Estates Planning

One area we believe deserves greater consideration is when temporary accommodation enters the estates planning conversation.

When additional capacity is required, it's understandable that the immediate need takes priority. However, decisions made at the beginning of a project can influence budgets, operational continuity and how effectively the wider estate is managed.

Rather than considering hire only when a permanent solution isn't immediately achievable, there is value in evaluating it alongside other accommodation options from the outset.

Could hiring provide the space needed while longer-term plans are finalised? Would a temporary building allow an existing facility to remain operational during redevelopment? Is purchasing the most appropriate use of available capital if the requirement may change in a few years?

And importantly, what happens to the additional accommodation when it's no longer required?

These aren't simply questions about modular construction. They're wider considerations about making appropriate decisions for an organisation's estate, budget and future requirements.

Of course, modular hire won't be the right approach for every project.

Where there's a clear, established long-term requirement, purchasing a permanent modular building may provide a more appropriate solution.

But equally, purchasing shouldn't automatically be the starting point simply because additional accommodation is required.

Perhaps We Need to Rethink What Temporary Really Means

Modern modular construction has come a long way in challenging the perception that modular buildings are simply temporary alternatives to traditional construction.

And rightly so.

But that doesn't mean genuinely temporary accommodation should be overlooked.

Not every space requirement is permanent. Not every organisation knows what its estate will need in five or ten years.
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And not every additional building needs to be owned.

At Elite Systems GB, we see modular hire as more than a means of meeting short-term accommodation requirements. It can be a deliberate estates decision, allowing organisations to retain flexibility, manage available budgets and respond to immediate needs without committing to a long-term asset before the requirement is fully established.

So perhaps, when considering additional accommodation, the conversation shouldn't always begin with:

“What do we need to build?”

Perhaps a better starting point is:

“How long do we actually need it for?”

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About Elite Systems GB
Elite Systems GB is a UK modular building manufacturer and MPBA member, specialising in the design, manufacture and turnkey delivery of permanent and temporary modular buildings across the education, healthcare and commercial sectors.

To learn more about our modular hire solutions, visit: www.elitesystemsgb.co.uk/modular-building-hire

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