A company that specialises in building structures with Modern Methods of Construction says the UK needs a vast change of direction if it’s to get anywhere near its targets.
Labour has targeted building 1.5 million homes in this parliament, as well as rebuilding 500 schools.
Gary Robertson, VASO Build’s group strategist, questioned whether traditional builders have the supply chain or material flow to gear up housebuilding in such a way.
He said: “You have to ask whether traditional builders are even motivated to deliver the housing requirements.
“Scaling up on their own potentially presents more risk to them and affects their profitability.”
The planning system, a lengthy approval process, stringent compliance requirements, local opposition, and restrictions on land availability are also limiting the pace in which the UK can build homes.
Indeed, VASO called for a ‘procurement pipeline framework’ to map out the delivery, supporting the designers, manufacturers, contractors and supply chains.
The company creates building solutions using a sustainable panelling system manufactured mostly from recycled glass.
In this way, the builder said it can guarantee the price of supply, providing quality affordable, low energy cost, low carbon homes which are quick to construct off-site.
Robertson added: “If the construction industry doesn’t adopt new methods and new ways of thinking to meet the housing shortfall then it will continue to fail to deliver at the pace required.
“Now is the time we have to challenge the status quo and stop thinking that traditional building is the only answer to the housing crisis and the government’s ambition.
“We are already 80,000 homes per year short on targets due to traditional methodologies. Traditional build companies can continue to operate at a pace which seems to suit them and deliver their share of the market.
“But to meet the government’s targets and bridge the shortfall to give people one of the most basic necessities of life – a roof over their heads – we need to change and we need to ramp up.
“The only way to achieve that as an industry and as a nation is to invest in sustainable, long-lasting, value-for-money innovations.”
