Vlaardingen town council is building a temporary residential estate to house almost 800 Ukrainian refugees and the buildings will remain in place for four to five years, local officials say.

The project is one of the first, if not the first, to provide housing specifically for Ukrainians, and is being part funded by national government.

In total, 409 homes are being constructed on the site next to a Unilever factory, and they can accommodate one, two or three people. ‘Imagine a sort of tiny house,’ a council spokesman told local broadcaster RTV Rijnmond.

The new district will also have a school, a dentist and a doctor as well as gym and  other facilities for children.

Vlaardingen is currently home to around 200 Ukrainians, around half of whom are in temporary accommodation and half living with host families.

‘I am proud we Vlaardingers are sticking out our necks to see if it is possible to offer temporary accommodation for a large group of Ukrainians,’ mayor Bert Wijbenga told the broadcaster.