A Stratford shipping container described as “the pinnacle of sustainable living” has been listed for sale for £75,000.
The micro-home, which appears to be located in an industrial yard next to the ABBA Arena, offers swift access to Pudding Mill Lane DLR, West Ham’s London Stadium and the Olympic Park — but there is little sign of a bathroom.
Instead, marketing material mentions “world-leading ventilation technology” and “real-time data on energy consumption, air quality, humidity, and temperature”.
While the listing is missing a floorplan, it does refer to the container as a 40HQ — a standardised 40 foot-long unit with a slightly higher ceiling than the basic model. At eight foot wide, it is four foot narrower than a standard single garage.
That leaves just enough space to squeeze in a double bed, a sofa and a kitchenette, though it is unclear what utilities the container is hooked up to and how these are charged.
Any resident will also have to contend with an outlook onto neighbouring units.
At 320 square foot the shipping container is unlikely to qualify for a mortgage, though potential buyers will be pleased to note its freehold status.
The listing reads: “Our container house is a testament to luxurious living, with customisable interiors that cater to your unique desires.
“Immerse yourself in an oasis designed to reflect your personal taste and preferences. Every detail, from the thoughtfully designed layout to the high-end finishes, has been carefully curated to create a haven of elegance and style.
“Experience a home that goes beyond expectations, redefining what it means to live responsibly and luxuriously.”
Live-in shipping containers have form in this corner of Stratford, where the ABBA Arena and London Stadium draw in a transient crowd in need of a basic overnighter.
A stone’s throw away, the Snoozebox model offers hotel accomodation in old shipping units, plus access to a 24 hour social lounge, free WiFi and a garden area with outdoor seating.
Complexes built from shipping containers have increasingly been used to house the UK’s homeless in recent years, not always without controversy.
But as yet there is little sign of wider adoption by London’s desperate first-time buyers.
An unfurnished shipping container on the site is listed with the same agent for £24,000, suggesting the fit-out has been valued at more than £50,000.
