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Homes England supports local authority in modular pilot
Homes England has funded a local authority to build modular housing in a pilot intended to spread expertise.
The government’s delivery agency provided £120,000 to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in order to build four modular homes.
The council has identified seven other sites and is working for other councils to share knowledge and expertise on modular housing.
Homes England said the council is speaking to Warwick District Council, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Rugby Borough Council and North Warwickshire Borough Council to share information from the pilot scheme.
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It is also establishing a procurement framework to provide suppliers with assurances and greater volumes in order to achieve economies of scale.
Previously, modular builders have said that it is difficult to aggregate enough demand to deliver housing at low enough prices to make it viable and that without low prices demand is even lower.
Mat Byrne, head of development at Nuneaton and Bedworth, said: “We identified modular development as an efficient and cost-effective solution to respond to the growing demand for housing. We started from scratch and worked with a local firm to develop a working model for our homes.
“It’s been a long process and we’ve learnt a lot along the way but as a result of the pilot, we’ve found that we are able to reduce the build time by approximately 10 to 12 weeks when compared with traditional build.”
Caroline McCormack, head of homeownership and supply in the Midlands for Homes England, added: “At Homes England we are committed to promoting modern methods of construction across the industry, so it’s great to see organisations such as Nuneaton & Bedworth Council who are willing to not only conduct their own pilot but also to work with partners to secure a supply chain.”
