The north of England
has the potential to become a world-leader in the creation of modern,
high-quality homes, the Housing Minister Esther McVey has said.
During a visit to
Factory 2050, part of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing
Research Centre, she will meet with major developers, small businesses and
academics as she announces the Government’s ambition for a new ‘centre of
excellence’ for MMC in the north.
The government
housing agency Homes England has also announced funding deals worth £38.2
million with 6 local authorities to speed up the construction of 2,072 homes
across the country.
The deals are the
latest to be awarded through the government’s £350 million Local Authority
Accelerated Construction programme, which was launched to accelerate the
delivery of local authority housing schemes and encourages the use of MMC.
Of the potential in
the north of England Housing Minister Esther McVey said: "We must invest
in this new technology. It’s as simple as that.
"The benefits
are clear. Some modular homes can be built in a factory over a week. And
assembled on site in a day.
"Industry has
told us some homes built using modern methods can have 80% fewer defects and
heating bills up to 70% lower.
"Homes built
using modern methods can be of higher quality, greener and built to last. I
want to see a housing green revolution. In the north of England where the first
industrial revolution began.
"With our
emphasis on safety, quality and beauty, we could be the global leaders in
housing standards. And if we get it right, once the industry matures it could
be worth an estimated £40 billion to this country. A new post-Brexit industry.
"To build all
these new homes we will need a brand-new workforce to make these homes offsite.
Skilled, high quality jobs, for life...The north of England has the potential
to be the construction capital of the country for this new technology, and we
need to fully embrace this. This could be a new hub. Think Silicon Valley. The
‘construction corridor’."
In order to ensure
that the industry has the skills it needs to keep up with advances in
technology coming down the line, the government will encourage business to link
up with academics across the North – sharing expertise and working together.
The ‘centre of
excellence’ will create a new network of people, connected in their aim to
boost the use of MMC whilst also sharing ideas and future uses.
Modern methods of
construction are being used more frequently, with around 15,000 homes built in
2015 across the country.
During the visit to
Factory 2050, the Housing Minister will meet with several apprentices who are
working towards qualifications in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering,
working with cutting-edge technology day in and day out.
Nick Walkley, Chief
Executive of Homes England, said: "Homes England sees enormous benefits to
MMC – from allowing high-quality homes to be built more quickly to addressing
labour and skills shortages and improving energy efficiency – so it’s vital that
there is continued investment in it.
"The Local
Authority Accelerated Construction programme supports local authorities to
prepare sites for the construction of much-needed new homes and prioritises the
use of modern methods of construction to increase the build pace by an average
of 40%.2
Mark Farmer, Chair
of the MMC Working Group said: "The UK has a fantastic opportunity to
become a true world leader in the advanced manufacturing of new homes. We
urgently need to better assure building safety, improve quality, reduce carbon
and offer much more consumer choice and protections.
"These
improvements will only be achieved if we fundamentally readdress the way we
design and deliver new homes. As part of achieving this aim, the establishment
of a centre of excellence for modern methods of construction in the north of
England will leverage what is already a growing part of the regional economy.
"I am pleased
that government is driving this important initiative and I look forward to
helping make this a success in coordination with all key stakeholders."
