Residential : House Builders & Developers News
Will Rudd Leads Completion of Maltings Building

Will Rudd leads completion of Maltings building

Consulting civil and structural engineering company Will Rudd has completed the latest project from a series of long-term collaboration with PureMalt Haddington. The project involved the complete refurbishment of the Maltings Building, which laid in a state of near ruin for over 25 years. Will Rudd provided scope of work

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Equans Delivers Decarbonisation in Rotherham

Equans Delivers Decarbonisation in Rotherham

Equans has announced its partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to deliver important decarbonisation measures across the housing market in Maltby. For this project, the council has secured £1.5 million from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), which will serve as a pilot to retrofit other homes in the

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Cora – the new name in excellent homes

Expert housebuilder Barwood Homes has announced its new name and brand – Cora. The company, based in Northamptonshire, has been delivering homes across the Midlands since it formed in 2010. However, as the company looks to the future, it wanted a new name and brand that better reflects its values.

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Stonewater celebrates 5000th home opening

A new development located in Newhaven, East Sussex, on the former Parker Pen factory site, has marked leading social housing provider, Stonewater’s 5000th new home completed since the association’s formation in 2015. Representatives from Stonewater, including Chairman Sheila Collins, CEO Nicholas Harris, as well as members of the development team

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Brighton’s Edward Street Quarter welcomes first residents

The first people have moved into their homes at Brighton and Hove’s newest neighbourhood, Edward Street Quarter (ESQ), located on the former AMEX House site in the city’s Kemptown district. The development, located just a stone’s throw from the seafront and the famous Palace Pier, comprises 168 homes and promises

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Kebbell Announces Three New Developments Valuing £89 Million

Award-winning housebuilder Kebbell has revealed the details of three new developments in Berkshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, totalling an estimated investment value of £89 million, spanning first-time buyer one-bedroom homes in Iver to an opulent flagship development in Ascot.   £35 million Cholbury Place in Ascot will comprise 18 elegant three-bedroom, 1800

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Keepmoat Homes Launches Its Park View Development

Keepmoat Homes Launches Its Park View Development

Keepmoat Homes has launched its Park View development, the latest in its ambitious plans for a thriving community in the Gedling area. The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Gedling, together with the Rosie May Foundation, a charity carrying out incredible work within the community.

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HAYFIELD STARTS CONSTRUCTION ON £21M LITTLE KIMBLE DEVELOPMENT

Housebuilder Hayfield has started construction on a prime 6.75-acre (2.73Ha) site in the Buckinghamshire village of Little Kimble to deliver 40 future-proofed zero carbon ready homes. Planning permission for the £21m development was secured from Buckinghamshire Council in June. Hayfield Crescent, as the development is called, will include a range

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

Residential : House Builders & Developers News

Will Rudd Leads Completion of Maltings Building

Will Rudd leads completion of Maltings building

Consulting civil and structural engineering company Will Rudd has completed the latest project from a series of long-term collaboration with PureMalt Haddington. The project involved the complete refurbishment of the Maltings Building, which laid in a state of near ruin for over 25 years. Will Rudd provided scope of work for much-needed essential repairs and to provide temporary stability, including removing and replacing original concrete flooring, installing new steelwork and a new roof. The project was delivered in partnership with design team Unum Architecture, PMC Commercial Ltd Contractors, M&E consultant Hawthorne Boyle Ltd and surveyors Neilson Partnership. Following years of housing germinating malt, the atmosphere slowly eroded the original building’s floors and structure. This required careful, complex and systematic thinking and action to ensure a robust structural solution which maintained the integrity of the building. Contractor PMCC began refurbishment work on the Maltings Building in December 2019. Phase one, comprising essential repairs, structural work and new flooring, was completed in the summer of 2021. Phase two, internal fit outs, installing the new staircase, lift and finishing touches, concluded in July 2022. “We have enjoyed a fantastic working relationship with Pure Malt Haddington for eight years and delivered over 30 projects, from the installation of elements to aid the company’s business such as new tanks with associated structural supports to highly complex projects like the Maltings Building,” said Stephen Rudd, Technical Director at Will Rudd Glasgow. “This particular project presented some highly complex challenges which required us to work closely with the wider design team to solve. The building itself was not in good condition, having been in a severe state of disrepair for a number of years. This presented an immediate need to ensure we could make the building safe and start a programme of essential repairs. With much of the original walls and flooring unsalvageable due to deterioration over time, we had to work very strategically to ‘design out’ any risk of collapse and maintain temporary stability holistically with the contractor,” he added. The project was also reviewed continuously from a Conservation Engineering perspective and whilst maintaining the structural integrity of the building, the designs were able to include retaining of the existing cast iron internal columns and external walls as well as the majority of the steel support beams above the first-floor level. These elements were able to be treated in-situ with new paintwork to the steel, extensive stonework repairs and repointing to the building’s façade to extend their lifespan in line with the project’s requirements and restore the building to its former glory. It was announced in September that the Maltings Building is shortlisted in the ‘Refurbishment of an Historic Building’ category of the inaugural Institution of Structural Engineers Scottish Structural Awards. Winners will be announced on 27 October. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News

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Equans Delivers Decarbonisation in Rotherham

Equans Delivers Decarbonisation in Rotherham

Equans has announced its partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to deliver important decarbonisation measures across the housing market in Maltby. For this project, the council has secured £1.5 million from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), which will serve as a pilot to retrofit other homes in the region. Known as a former mining town with some of the UK’s highest levels of fuel poverty, Maltby would benefit immensely from this project. Unfortunately, the town is currently in top 10% most fuel-poor areas in the UK, and current EPC ratings on the selected properties range from C to G. “We’re delighted to be working with Rotherham Council on this vital energy efficiency and decarbonisation project in Maltby. With energy bills set to continue rising for the foreseeable future, pushing more and more people into fuel poverty, it’s more important than ever that the private and public sectors work together on projects like this,” commented Steve Batty, Head of Sustainability at Equans UK & Ireland. The 141 homes due to benefit from the Equans measures are traditional cavity brick-built, which is typical of the housing stock in Rotherham and can therefore help to shape the future borough-wide net zero carbon specification. As well as fabric improvements, including external wall and loft insulation, triple-glazed windows and energy efficient doors, the scope of work also be combined with a previously-planned re-roofing programme, in order to minimise disruption for residents. “Initiatives like this are a crucial part of the Council’s housing strategy. The efficiencies that will be saved through schemes like this one will make a huge difference to people’s lives. We are now looking at how we can extend this good practice in other parts of the borough,” added Paul Walsh, Assistant Director for Housing at Rotherham Council. Rotherham Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has pledged to cut carbon emissions in the borough to net zero by 2040. This scheme in Maltby is expected to save more than 96,000kg of CO2 per year, while also helping residents reduce their energy bills. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News

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Cora – the new name in excellent homes

Expert housebuilder Barwood Homes has announced its new name and brand – Cora. The company, based in Northamptonshire, has been delivering homes across the Midlands since it formed in 2010. However, as the company looks to the future, it wanted a new name and brand that better reflects its values. Luke Simmons, Managing Director at Cora, said: “We are thrilled to announce our new name and branding and are looking forward to a successful future as Cora. “Our new name comes from the word Chorus, echoing who we are as a company – a group of people working in harmony. “We feel our new brand better reflects our values, a people-centric company focused on delivering high-quality homes while providing great customer service.” Among Cora’s current live sites are Eagles Edge, Redhill, in Nottinghamshire, Romney Meadows, in Quainton, Buckinghamshire and the Old Sawmill in Great Bowden in Leicestershire. Cora is launching a new website to coincide with the rebranding, giving its customers access to an easy-to-use platform packed with information and updates on Cora’s projects. As Cora, the team and management remains the same while the company also looks to extend its strategy on sustainability and the environment. Luke said “Although the company’s name has changed, its dedication to delivering excellent homes and customer service has not. Although we have been building excellent homes since we were formed, the company has grown and evolved since we were first established.” “As Cora, our work will be complimented by our new Sustainable Building Framework, and our focus will also be on protecting the environment and working within our communities. “We will continue to deliver on our promises of excellent quality of product and service, but will build upon these values as the company moves forward.” For more information on Cora and its projects visit Cora.uk

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Stonewater celebrates 5000th home opening

A new development located in Newhaven, East Sussex, on the former Parker Pen factory site, has marked leading social housing provider, Stonewater’s 5000th new home completed since the association’s formation in 2015. Representatives from Stonewater, including Chairman Sheila Collins, CEO Nicholas Harris, as well as members of the development team that have been involved in the project, welcomed the Mayor of Newhaven, Councillor Paul Boswell to the site opening, which took place recently. The scheme, called Safford Park, incorporates 145 new homes being built on the former Parker Pen factory site and close to the River Ouse, which will provide a range of affordable housing options for residents. Developed by Hill Partnerships, an award-winning house builder that operates across London and the Southeast, the Safford Park scheme is the first collaboration between Stonewater and the construction firm. Each of the homes have been built to EPC B energy rating standards and offer electric vehicle charging points. The development will also incorporate a community garden and allotment space to encourage environmentally friendly living. Stonewater, which is renowned for its inclusion of public art at its developments has paid homage to the history of the site with the artistic display for Safford Park. The entranceway to the development will be home to two oversized fountain pen nibs, while further nods to the Parker Pen history will be seen in pen lid shaped bollards and nib shaped railings that will be installed across the site. Nicholas Harris, CEO at Stonewater said: “We’re hugely proud to have reached our 5000th home achievement and at such a fantastic development at Safford Park, which really showcases the quality of sustainable homes we have built over the last seven years. Achieving this significant milestone is a testament to the team and our partners that have worked with us across every project that Stonewater has delivered to get us to this point.” Jonathan Layzell, Executive Director – Development at Stonewater “The site in Newhaven is incredibly important, not only to the local area where affordable housing is needed, but also to our overall mission to delivering good quality homes to people who need them most. “While we take a moment to celebrate the work that has got us to this point, we also look forward, as a team, to the next milestone, and beyond.” Paul Boswell, Mayor of Newhaven said: “I was delighted to be asked to attend the ceremony to mark the construction of the Stonewater’s 5000th home. The development in Newhaven is an attractive mix of houses and apartments of various sizes. New homes in our town are in high demand and I’m sure it won’t be long before all these quality properties are fully occupied. Harvey Dhami, Deputy Regional Director at The Hill Group comments: “We would like to congratulate Stonewater for achieving this impressive milestone and are delighted that homes at our Safford Park development have contributed to the 5,000 new homes provided. These energy efficient homes will deliver much needed affordable housing for the local community at Newhaven and ensure current and future generations can enjoy living in a high-quality sustainable home.” The development also provided opportunities for engagement with the local community. Strong links were established with students studying construction at Sussex College, who were invited to attend regular site visits and meet staff working on site, while children at the local primary school were involved in a poster competition showcasing what they like about their local area, with the winning posters displayed on site. The Hill Group also employed a number of local students at the site and plumbing apprentice, Kai Sol was presented with a new tool bag as a sign of appreciation for his involvement in the project at the opening event.

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Brighton’s Edward Street Quarter welcomes first residents

The first people have moved into their homes at Brighton and Hove’s newest neighbourhood, Edward Street Quarter (ESQ), located on the former AMEX House site in the city’s Kemptown district. The development, located just a stone’s throw from the seafront and the famous Palace Pier, comprises 168 homes and promises to be a vibrant, eclectic and inclusive part of the local community. As soon as people move in, they’re invited to join the Edward Street app to meet co-residents, find out what’s going on in the building and wider neighbourhood, and access all the latest news, events and exclusive offers. There’s also an opportunity to offer feedback so their experience can be tweaked and improved on an ongoing basis. Steve Eccles, Director at developer Socius, said: “ESQ has been built with community in mind. The residents are welcome to connect digitally, and there are lots of places where they can meet in real life, too, such as the stylish residents’ rooftop terrace, which has stunning views of the sea, as well as the green community spaces.” There are a handful of one, two and three-bedroom apartments available, many with private balcony space. Tom Bryant, Director of Savills, one of the lead real estate agencies working on ESQ, said: “These apartments have so much to offer in this flourishing new neighbourhood, which is minutes from the beach and the Lanes, and within walking distance of the station. With very limited new build stock in Brighton, we anticipate continued high levels of interest in the remaining apartments at this flagship residential development.” James Epps, Director of Oakley Property, Sussex-based land and new homes specialists, jointly marketing ESQ, said: “The development has everything you need for modern work-leisure living. Gyms, retail spaces, restaurants, co-workspaces and public art installations. Plus, you have easy access to Brighton and Hove itself, and all the city’s amazing facilities.” The development also features 125,000 sq ft of flexible office space, making it the largest provision of workspace to be delivered in the city since 1993. It includes 20,000 sq ft designated for food, beverage, retail and leisure. Edward Street Quarter is the £140 million redevelopment of the former AMEX House in Brighton, owned by mixed-use developer Socius, First Base, and Patron Capital. For more information about Edward Street Quarter, please visit edwardstreetquarter.com.

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Kebbell Announces Three New Developments Valuing £89 Million

Award-winning housebuilder Kebbell has revealed the details of three new developments in Berkshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, totalling an estimated investment value of £89 million, spanning first-time buyer one-bedroom homes in Iver to an opulent flagship development in Ascot.   £35 million Cholbury Place in Ascot will comprise 18 elegant three-bedroom, 1800 to 2900 sq ft opulent apartments combining impressive architecture on a grand scale with contemporary design and a cutting edge level of specification. Beautiful carpentry will be a notable feature of Cholbury Place including handmade Charles Yorke kitchens, extra tall doors and exquisite joinery as well as the grandeur of the high 2.8m (9.2ft) ceiling heights. The development boasts a 13m (43ft) high atrium in the communal halls, a lift and a stunning living wall. The principal bedroom suites include large dressing areas with spacious bespoke wardrobes and luxurious ensuite bathrooms. The apartment sales prices are expected to be in the region of £1.5 to £2.5 million.    These homes will be within walking distance of Ascot high street and the racecourse, as well as being an easy drive to Wentworth Golf Club or Heathrow, with excellent train line connections and easy access to the M4, M25, M3 and the A30. The site is completely surrounded by a beautiful canopy of trees including big American Redwoods with a stunning view from all apartments. The homes will benefit from basement parking, a lift and car charging points and will be highly energy efficient.    Andrea Fawell, Sales and Marketing Director of Kebbell says: “We expect these beautifully crafted apartments to be attractive to downsizers and empty nesters who may be selling substantial homes in the area but don’t want to compromise on the high quality they are used to. The penthouses, in particular, will be quite extraordinary and we believe offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Construction has started and we are 12-18 months off from having a show apartment but already have huge levels of interest from people wanting a private priority preview. We expect to complete in 2024.”  Following the success of Heatherfields in Bordon, New Hampshire development, Alderbrook is set inPetersfield in the South Downs National Parkand will comprise82 contemporary and energy-efficient two, three and four-bedroom houses, including social housing for rent and shared ownership. Set in a wooded environment and next to playing fields, Alderbrook is a five-minute walk to the highly regarded market town centre of Petersfield. Designed for families or individuals who now need that all important home office space with ultra-fast broadband.  Work on the £32 million development has started on site with a show home expected to be open in spring 2023 and completion is anticipated to be in 2025.  The homes will range from 960 to 1974 sq ft and prices will be in the region of £500,000 to £995,000.     Andrea Fawell says: “The anticipated purchaser profile is aspiring families, young professionals and downsizers who want to live near to the buzzing town centre of Petersfield whilst being close to the area’s beautiful national park. We expect potential buyers to come from London and other large urban areas as hybrid working and the desire for space looks set to remain. Kebbell has a legacy of building homes at Herne Farm in Petersfield and we have already had enquiries from existing Kebbell owners in the area who would like their next home on this new Kebbell development!”  £22 million Meadow Court in Iver in Buckinghamshire comprises 39 two-bedroom apartments. Set in a courtyard formation, these homes will include basement parking, a lift, communal electric charging points and direct access to the green belt. The stylish 750 to 1250 sq. ft apartments will be on the market for between £450,000 to £650,000.  Meadow Court is 1.8 miles from Iver’s train station which is on the Elizabeth Line, walking distance from Iver itself and is also just outside the M25 in South Bucks and close in proximity to the M40, M4 and Heathrow. Meadow Court is near to the Grand Union Canal which benefits from gorgeous pubs, walks and cycleways. Offering residents semi-rural connected living.  Andrea Fawell explains why these homes are expected to be snapped up: “We expect Meadow Court to appeal to young professionals and the downsizer or lock-up-and-leave markets who want a UK base. The show home is expected to open late this year/early next year with the first apartments ready to move into in early 2023 and completion of the development is expected to be late 2023. The beauty of this development is the real potential investment opportunity for young buyers, especially those attracted to low energy bills and contemporary features such as slick fitted kitchens and underfloor heating, set in a stunning area of natural beauty.”  www.kebbell.co.uk  

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Bouygues UK reaches highest point of £46 Million build at Peckham Flaxyard

Bouygues UK has celebrated reaching the highest point of the development build at Peckham Flaxyard, a mixed-use, residential-led scheme in the heart of Peckham. The Bouygues UK team, along with Southwark Council, who are delivering the project, marked this milestone on 21st September with a traditional ‘topping out’ ceremony. The event was opened by the joyous sound of the brass band from local primary school, St. James the Great. Once complete in late 2023, the £46.8m scheme will deliver 120 new, affordable homes. This will include 96 council homes for social rent as part of Southwark Council’s commitment to tackling the housing crisis locally by building thousands of new council homes across the borough, and 24 shared ownership homes. The scheme will also include disabled car parking, cycle storage for residents and commercial space on the ground floor together with landscaping of the surrounding areas. The scheme is bordered by the library, leisure centre, high street, a number of primary and secondary schools and existing homes. It involves close collaboration with the local community and key stakeholders. Bouygues UK has already delivered over £3m in social value including: 158 hours volunteering in the local area; over £29,000 donated to local charities; and 21 training and employment sessions given to local unemployed residents. In order to keep carbon emissions on site to a minimum, Bouygues UK has partnered with Gaia to identify, monitor and reduce the power consumption, using AI and motion sensor software. In August this year alone, this has reduced CO2 emissions by 1,497kg. Rob Bradley, CEO of Bouygues UK, said: “I’m so pleased to be here to celebrate the progress we have made on this important scheme which will make such a positive difference to the local area and increase the availability of affordable housing. It’s fantastic to be helping Southwark Council with their goal of building thousands of new council homes across the borough.” Cllr Darren Merrill, Southwark’s Cabinet Member for Council Homes and Homelessness, said, “I’m delighted to see the building works progressing so well here on such an important council homes site in the heart of Peckham. This site will provide 120 desperately-needed new homes for local people, all of which will be genuinely affordable. With such enormous demand for housing in Peckham, I know that these new homes will represent hope, stability and security for so many in our community.”

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Keepmoat Homes Launches Its Park View Development

Keepmoat Homes Launches Its Park View Development

Keepmoat Homes has launched its Park View development, the latest in its ambitious plans for a thriving community in the Gedling area. The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Gedling, together with the Rosie May Foundation, a charity carrying out incredible work within the community. During the visit, the Mayor and Mayoress were given an in-depth tour of Phase 2 of the development located on Arnold Lane, which once complete, will provide an additional 400 much-needed modern and energy-efficient homes to families and homebuyers in the area. Ideal for first-time buyers, growing families, and those seeking more space and flexibility, Park View is a vibrant and modern community which borders the 240-acre Gedling Country Park. “We’d like to thank our notable guests and partners for helping us celebrate the opening of our sales centre and showhome at Park View, and bear witness to the beginnings of the next phase of our ambitious housing scheme in Gedling. We’re immensely grateful for the Council’s support of this project to deliver much-needed new homes to the area,” commented Shaun Fielding, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes. “Park View is more than a housing development, it’s a community in which our residents can enjoy a relaxing and active lifestyle, whilst aiming to benefit and provide additional support to the wider area. We look forward to welcoming those who are looking to get on the housing ladder and experience for themselves the standout features that Park View has to offer.” As part of Keepmoat Homes’ ongoing commitment to building great places for people to live, work and play, the homebuilder will be engaging with global charity, the Rosie May Foundation, in a partnership that will host various events and fundraisers to help provide care and support for vulnerable groups within the community. “The Rosie May foundation is a Nottingham based international charity supporting women and children in Sri Lanka and Nepal giving them the chance of a better future,” said Nicola Brien, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the Rosie May Foundation. “As a result of our response to the pandemic, our work supporting the local community here in Nottinghamshire has expanded supporting the most vulnerable and socially isolated in our local communities, and following the launch of Park View, we’re thrilled to be partnering with Keepmoat Homes on supporting the community in Gedling and we look forward to witnessing the positive impact that our partnership will have on people a little closer to home,” she concluded. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News

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MAKE UK MODULAR: Homebuilding revolution set to come of age as traditional builders fail to tackle housing crisis

Government backing for modular construction would deliver 20,000 low energy use homes across the UK – costing 55% less to heat than the average British ‘bricks and mortar’ family house Planning permission should be fast tracked for modular housing to create homes 50% faster and 4,000 jobs in left behind areas of UK – Make UK Modular analysis Modular homes cost 55% less to heat than the average UK home and 32% less than traditional new builds, delivering savings of up to £800 a year for a three-bedroomed family home Modular homes are built 50% faster to make from start to finish than bricks and mortar homes Building with modular can halve emissions when building a home, cutting the amount of CO2 produced as a result of construction by up to 83% Modular manufacturers have already built factories in post-industrial provincial towns or cities, creating over 3,000 jobs, and delivering £700m of investment to low-growth, low employment areas Government should fast track the planning route for modular homes and commit to using modular for 20% of its affordable housing programme to double new jobs overnight Modular home construction is both more efficient and kinder to the environment with substantially less waste, 90% down on materials wastage than traditional builds Modular building heavily reduces the amount of transport access needed for building sites, with 80% fewer vehicle movements to sites and therefore far less local disruption and pollution of the environment Britain’s modular construction companies are moving at speed to deliver widescale change in the housing market unseen in the UK for generations, according to new research published today by Make UK Modular. ‘Greener, Better, Faster: Modular’s Role in Solving the Housing Crisis’, shows that while innovation has left the construction industry largely untouched till now, precision engineered homes, factory-built in areas where employment is required and delivered to regions of the UK where housing is scarce, are set to revolutionise the sector and help solve Britain’s growing housing crisis. Factory engineering means modular homes can be built to consistently high sustainability standards, delivering savings of 55% on energy consumption compared to the average UK home and cost 32% less to heat than a traditional new build. This translates to savings of up to £800 a year for a three bedroomed family home, and energy reduction rises to 60% for single or two person households living in smaller properties. Record spending by modular construction companies in Research and Development accounts for 30% of all R&D in across the whole construction sector. This investment is set to deliver even more energy efficient homes in the coming months at a time households are struggling with an unprecedented cost of living crisis. With housing availability and affordability at an all-time low, traditional construction is struggling to deliver Government targets for 300,000 new homes a year, exacerbated by a chronic and worsening shortage of skilled construction labour. Homes England missed its 2021-22 affordable homes target by 21.5%. However, modular housing has already proven it can build new homes at pace. Modular factories have been set up in those areas of the UK where employment is needed, creating a secure labour pipeline. Employment prospects are attractive with modular manufacturers delivering quality training and upskilling for new staff, enabling much-needed homes to be guaranteed for speedy delivery to regions of the UK where housing is in short supply. Modular manufacturers already produce 3,300 homes a year, one in 60 of all new houses in the UK and by 2025, and with the right support, this could grow to over 20,000 new modular buildings each year. Not only are these modern precision-engineered homes quicker to build than traditional homes, but with no snagging or defects it is possible for a single crane to install a house perfectly in just one day. Despite the pandemic, modular has doubled its delivery of new homes since 2017 with a contracted pipeline of 8,000 homes already in place. Modular manufacturers have chosen to build over 40 factories in post-industrial provincial towns or cities, creating over 3,000 jobs and delivering £700m of investment to low-growth, low employment areas – a figure which could easily double with some simple Government support. To help give the modular sector the push to achieve its full potential, Government should: Dedicate 20% of their programme of affordable housing provision to modular housing which has already shown it can deliver new homes fast Offer fast-track planning, prioritising modular and green homes in land allocation Raise energy efficiency standards for new housing, where modular already meets a higher criteria than traditional building, reduce stamp duty based on energy efficiency and net zero performance and require all for sale and to let homes to provide accurate date on energy bills Collectively, these changes would drive up standards, while offering pipeline security for modular producers and helping the industry to scale up. Steve Cole Director of Make UK Modular, the trade body for modular housing said: “There is a housing success story in this country, and it is modular. This report shows definitively that modular is now a significant player in the UK housing market. Government must capitalise on this as opportunities to transform our broken housing market into the most sophisticated in the world do not come around every day. “Government must accelerate modular delivery, building on the investment made and the jobs created, by removing the remaining barriers holding the industry back.” Read full report here: Greener, Better, Faster: Modular’s Role In Solving The Housing Crisis | Make UK

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HAYFIELD STARTS CONSTRUCTION ON £21M LITTLE KIMBLE DEVELOPMENT

Housebuilder Hayfield has started construction on a prime 6.75-acre (2.73Ha) site in the Buckinghamshire village of Little Kimble to deliver 40 future-proofed zero carbon ready homes. Planning permission for the £21m development was secured from Buckinghamshire Council in June. Hayfield Crescent, as the development is called, will include a range of one, two, three, four and five-bedroomed homes through a mix of terraced, semi-detached and detached styles, a landscaped area of public open space and a village shop and will be accessed off Risborough Road. Up to 48% of the new homes will be affordable, 19 in total, with tenure split between affordable rent and shared ownership. Andy Morris, Managing Director of Hayfield, WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year, said: “Breaking ground is one of the highlights in the lifecycle of a new development, and we are thrilled to be one step closer towards bringing our family homes to Little Kimble. “This will be our third development in Buckinghamshire and we will be building on our reputation for high specification homes by delivering some of the largest houses within our range. “Each of our new homes will feature spacious living, while the zero carbon ready specification far exceeds the Future Homes Standard. We are excited to showcase how sustainable living need not compromise on luxury.” All of the homes at Hayfield Crescent will feature air source heat pumps, energy-efficient underfloor heating, the smartest electric vehicle fast-charging points and ultra-fast broadband. They will include ‘lifetime homes’ construction standards to offer enhanced accessibility and adaptability, ensuring all of them are future-proofed for wheelchair uses. The first homes are expected to be released for sale off plan by the end of October. Hayfield will create a new access road and footpaths to adoptable standards, and the houses themselves will be in-keeping with the rest of the village with features to include brick detailing, traditional porches and brick chimneys. As with all signature Hayfield developments, the density of homes will be much lower than typical new build schemes. Hayfield Crescent is opposite The Chiltern’s AONB, and a quarter of the landscape-led scheme will be covered by tree canopies to reflect this. The extensive new planting and range of additional environmental enhancements will deliver a net biodiversity gain. Little Kimble is conveniently located on the Chiltern Railways Line and Little Kimble Station is within walking distance of the site. Regular services to London Marylebone take less than an hour, with additional services into Aylesbury and High Wycombe.

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