The trend of municipalities turning to manufactured and modular homes as a solution to housing shortages continues to grow.

In the U.K., recently completed modular housing developments have been slated to serve first time homebuyers and workers in South London.

According to 24 Housing, Vision Modular Systems, in partnership with construction firm Donban Contracting, has completed two finished blocks of modular housing, and turned them over to Pocket Living, an affordable housing provider that only sells to first-time buyers.

“Partnering with Pocket Living on multiple projects has allowed us to deliver vital new housing for first-time buyers and key workers who underpin the very fabric of our cities,” said Kieran White, managing director at Vision Modular Systems.

Built using 162 modules, the homes were constructed inside a factory in Bedford using production-line techniques, which, as Daily Business News readers are already aware, allows for better quality control, faster delivery, reduction of waste and contributes to  higher levels of energy efficiency.

All of the buildings that Pocket Living operates are community focused, with shared spaces, including roof terraces. Tim Western, a director at U.K. property giant JLL, who believes modular is the way forward, has proposed a similar plan.

“Off-site construction in the UK is growing 25 percent per year. This technique results in a 30 percent reduction in build time, a 75 percent reduction in workforce and 40 percent less vehicle movements, meaning that modular housing is likely to drive a huge change in how homes get built over the next five years,” said Western.

“Homes manufactured like cars, in other words off-site in a factory, with the opportunity to pick and choose what goes into a basic structure, will bring ‘car quality’ to the market.”

Traditional site built developments of this scale in the U.K. can take up to two years to complete, putting additional pressure on housing inventory. Modular provides a practical solution to the problem.

“Getting high-quality homes built quickly is key to solving the housing crisis. Modular techniques will play an increasingly important role in meeting this challenge and, through our partnership with Donban and Vision Modular, over a quarter of Pocket’s future pipeline will be built through modular construction,” said Marc Vlessing, chief executive of Pocket Living.

“For modular to really take off as a viable construction method, the government and lenders should look at making it easier for SMEs to access the working capital needed to take advantage of its benefits.”

For more on modular housing in the U.K., including major builders making moves into the modular space, click here. ##

 

(Image credits are as shown above.)

 

Submitted by RC Williams to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.