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New deal will see state of art modular homes built in UK

A £2.5 billion deal has been agreed which will see 25,000 new low state of the art carbon modular homes built per year by 2022 in the UK.

Some might call them ‘flatpack’ homes but they are actually highly sophisticated buildings with solar power and energy saving attributes and will be built using British precision produced steel frames and modern composite materials.

According to Housing Minister Gavin Barwell the partnership between the WElink Group and housing association Your Housing Group (YHG) using next generation construction from Barcelona Housing Systems and investment from the China National Building Material Company (CNBM) is the first of many pioneering home building schemes that he wants to see up and running in the UK.

He believes that these kind of rapid construction methods will help to address the UK’s current housing crisis and help deliver the Government’s target of a million new homes by 2020.

As part of the deal CNBM has commitment to build six factories across the UK employing over 1,000 people to provide the materials for the construction of the new homes.

‘This joint venture shows the potential modular construction has to meet the UK’s housing needs and help build a country that works for everyone. This Government is committed to delivering a more diverse and innovative housebuilding sector and our £3 billion Home Building Fund will encourage more pioneering house building projects and partnerships like this one,’ Barwell said.

The development concept uses Barcelona Housing Systems which is a state of the art, energy efficient, modular constructed housing which will transform the pace of the delivery of new homes in the UK.

This system of construction also differs from other modular housing already in the sector as it will combine British precision produced steel frames and modern composite materials that means the developments are both low carbon and energy efficient in their construction and in their operation.

‘Our partnership comes at a time when the UK’s housing shortfall is only going to be addressed by radical innovation in building practices which opens the way for modular housing,’ said Ajmal Rahman, chairman of WElink Group.

‘This joint venture will give a significant kick start to delivering the new homes people need across the UK which includes helping to poverty issues through our incorporated solar and energy efficient design meaning our developments can be at least 75% off grid. Furthermore, British address fuel produced light gauge steel framing will help keep our carbon footprint to a minimum,’ he added.

YHG and WElink are currently assessing potential location to base the factory sites in strategic locations in Scotland, South Wales, the North East, the North West, Yorkshire, the North Midlands, and in the South and South West.

Stephen Haigh will be the UK chief executive officer of the new Joint Venture and said he hopes that it will lead the transformation of the housing market and address the UK’s housing needs head on and increasing the supply of new homes.

‘Our announcement is very much about identifying new opportunities and assisting Government and other housing associations to achieve their housing aspirations as announced in the recent Autumn Statement, such as the £2.3 billion infrastructure fund,’ he explained.

‘It is also crucial that we work closely with Local Authorities to create mixed tenure communities to cement our development model as the solution to their house building and development needs,’ he added.

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