Irish-built flat-pack homes arrive in Wolverhampton

The two-storey semi-detached houses were made 200 miles away in Ireland by Extraspace Solutions.

Bosses said the company in Ireland can build the homes much faster than builders here would be able to construct traditional houses.

And the homes can already be seen on Cannock Road in Fallings Park, Wolverhampton.

It is part of a £600,000 pilot scheme by Wolverhampton council in conjunction with Wolverhampton Homes.

Cabinet member Milkinder Jaspal said: “As long as the quality is there – and the health and safety aspects are fine then there are no problems.

“It’s a quick solution but the council has a need for housing

“It will help alleviate and resolve the housing issues in the short-term.

“Obviously this isn’t going to go everywhere, it’s only certain plots.

“Where we have larger plots it will be the traditional bricks and mortar plots – giving the chance for local people to get local jobs.”

However critics say they look like ‘cheap, flat-roofed boxes’.

Conservative councillor Jonathan Yardley called the decision ‘eccentric’, describing it as a step backwards to ‘post-war austerity style’ housing.

Mr Yardley, who works in the construction industry, said: “These are the first proper council houses in Wolverhampton for many years but we seem to have gone for the cheapest option.

“Ireland does specialise in pre-cast materials but it’s a shame these homes could not be built in the traditional way using local labour and materials. These just look like flat-roofed boxes.”

The council will remain the owners of the properties, which will be managed by Wolverhampton Homes.