Tech firms aim to disrupt UK resi market with modular homes made in India
News, views and more from the modular construction space
Tech is being used in all sorts of intriguing ways in the built environment and leading to some eye-catching developments.
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*NEWS*
Firms eye disruption with plans for modular-built homes from Indian factory
A property tech company has struck a deal with a modular firm, which will supply ‘carbon neutral’ homes from a factory in India, as part of a bid to “disrupt” the UK residential sector.
The Property Block, which uses AI to identify development sites in areas with high demand for housing, has agreed that Modulex Modular Buildings will design, build and install “smart” buildings as a preferred supplier.
UK-based Modulex uses 3D volumetric steel technology to deliver “carbon neutral smart buildings”, according to the RNS announcing the deal today. It is in the process of building its first “megafactory” in India.
Modulex claims on its website that it will be “the world’s largest and India’s first steel modular buildings factory of its kind” - across a 40-acre site.
Under Property Block’s model, individual property owners are offered an option to sell their house, or their garden, to the company which will then redevelop the land. It also offers options to other landowners.
It said the deal with Modulex means it can offer an end-to-end solution for redevelopment projects, with plans to roll out homes “across the country”.
In a video on Property Block’s website, the firm’s chief executive Alexander Hagan says:
“We are bringing land with planning permission to housing associations and developers to help with the solution to fix one of the biggest problems we have facing the UK at the moment, apart from Covid, a shortage of social and affordable family homes”.
Today in the statement announcing the deal, Hagan said: “This collaboration completes our value chain and underpins our drive to deliver smart, carbon neutral homes in the small and medium residential development market in the UK and establishes The Property Block as a leading disruptive proptech company.”
Paul Rodker, director of Modulex, said: “Headquartered and designed in Britain and manufactured in our megafactory in India, our business model underpins the opportunities arising in the Indo-British corridor post Brexit.”
Housing association hunts for offsite suppliers in £50m framework
Bromford is seeking offsite housing suppliers as part of a new £50m framework.
The 44,000-home landlord is looking for specialists to develop small and large sites for the four-year framework, which starts this September.
The framework will covers homes built using light-gauge steel frame and cross-laminated timber, it said.
“The framework will combine a supply only contract, using our own resources and experience (in house or via existing third-party contractors) to manage the modular build on site,” the contract notice said.
“Also, the option of a turnkey solution including manufacture, supply, installation, and construction services.”
Bromford's first modular scheme was announced last year when it agreed a contract with Totally Modular for six homes in Gloucestershire.
In its last reported full-year to March 2020, the group spent £180m on developing new homes and completed 1,027.
*OFFCUTS*
PEOPLE: Legal & General has a new finance boss for its modular homes business. Lance Gillett has replaced Steve Price as the division’s chief financial officer. Price, who had spent just over two years in the role, is retiring, an L&G spokesperson told Modular Monitor. Gillett was previously group finance boss at building products group Customade.
PEOPLE: A Laing O’Rourke executive has been appointed as the Construction Industry Council’s first champion for MMC. Nick Mead, who is a technical director at Laing O’Rourke, has taken up the newly-created role.
DEVELOPMENT: Ilke Homes has acquired a site to deliver 165 new homes on brownfield land in Devon. The scheme, which is still subject to final planning consent, will include a mix of one and two-bed apartments and two, three and four-bed homes. The homes at Exmouth Junction will have “at least” an EPC rating of B, according to Ilke.
*NUMBER CRUNCH: *44*
The number of storeys at Ten Degrees, which lays claim to being the tallest modular building in the world. The tower block, in Croydon, south London, contains 546 homes for rent as well as a rooftop gym, yoga studio, sky lounge, co-working hub, games lounge, screening room and even a pet spa, apparently. A light show has been marking its opening this month.
*INSIGHT*
More modular housing factories should be built near areas of high housing demand, according to this comment piece from the US. This thought ties into our previous story in which Sadiq Khan has pledged to look at an MMC factory for London.
*AND FINALLY…*
MPs quizzed Mark Farmer this week on MMC…
Stay safe and see you next time,
James
I’m James Wilmore, a freelance journalist and editor. I cover the built environment and occasionally cycling. This is me here and here
For all enquiries, story ideas and tips, please email: james@modularmonitor.co.uk