New partnership will deliver factory-built affordable homes

The innovative new homes will be built in the LoCaL Homes facility in Walsall and delivered to site as complete thermally efficient insulated wall panels with external coverings. Once on site the factory built panels will be craned into place by Burmor Construction to create the new homes.

Chris Hagan, LoCaL Homes director, said: “We are delighted to be working with Burmor Construction and Longhurst Group to deliver a low carbon, cost effective, sustainable solution that is both quick and easy to erect on site. This partnership demonstrates LoCaL Homes continued growth as we support both GreenSquareAccord and many other housing associations to deliver new affordable homes through modern methods of construction.”

Located on the California Road in Huntingdon, the development will transform the site of a former car park, office and nursery, previously part of the Regional College’s Huntingdon campus, into much needed one, two and three-bedroom homes available for shared ownership, rent to buy and social rent.

Marcus Keys, executive director of growth and development at Longhurst Group said: “We’re delighted to be working with LoCaL Homes and benefitting from their significant experience in delivering high-quality homes in a new way.

"Our California Road development represents the first scheme on which we’ve utilised Modern Methods of Construction on this scale and so we’re very excited to see production begin on the panels that will eventually become affordable new homes.

“Using this method will create less waste, reduce the overall duration of the project and ensure the highest levels of quality assurance before the panels are even on-site.

“As a Group, our vision is to provide the homes people need, where they’re needing most and, by working with partners like LoCaL Homes and utilising modern methods of construction, we’re delivering that vision in an innovative and environmentally-responsible way.

“We now look forward to seeing these units coming to fruition, providing even more people from Huntingdon and the wider area with a place to call home.”

The new homes are being created using modern methods of construction, which bring significant benefits over a traditional build approach. MMC allows high quality housing to be built quickly and affordably, minimising disruption and waste on site, whilst reducing the overall time spent on the project, and reducing labour costs, whilst speeding up the delivery time and increasing quality levels.

Patrick Burke, director at Burmor Construction said: “When Burmor Construction began work with Longhurst Group on the California Road site, we were given the task of helping Longhurst Group deliver on their 2025 Vision by increasing the use of MMC in their housing delivery programme. Having already established our partnership with LoCaL Homes on another affordable housing site which was delivered three months ahead of schedule, we were able to introduce Longhurst Group to the LoCaL Homes range of products, and more importantly, demonstrate the benefits by experience.

“We are both privileged and excited to be delivering 56 new affordable homes for Huntingdon using the LoCaL Homes Eco200 system, on what will be a low carbon, sustainable housing scheme. We are looking forward to sharing the benefits with Longhurst Group of the time savings and consistency of quality that this method of delivery will bring.”

Work on the new homes is due to start on site in December.

Craig Currie, executive director of development at GreenSquareAccord, added: “At GreenSquareAccord we are passionate about supporting the delivery of truly affordable homes that set that standard for low carbon living. We are proud that this partnership will deliver homes using our innovative methods of prefabrication that deliver both cost and carbon savings, supporting the drive towards Net Zero 2050.”