Building confidence in offsite manufacturing

First, there is a lack of awareness of the huge potential benefits of building offsite. If the mayor sets out a clear agenda to foster confidence in modular construction, as the London Assembly urges, the industry and developers can work together to make these potential benefits a reality.

“The recommendations cover all the areas needed to build capacity and confidence in the offsite construction sector.”

The recommendation calling for the development of a manufactured housing design code in line with the government’s emerging construction strategy would bring together architects, designers, manufacturers and housing providers with a single, clear aim: to build quality homes, fast.

This, alongside a London-specific offsite manufacturing procurement framework, would foster further collaboration in our sector.

The London Assembly’s report has also called on the mayor to extend funding for offsite manufacturing. The Innovation Fund has achieved significant progress in promoting offsite building as a viable way to solve the UK’s housing crisis, but a further round of funding would create the certainty of demand needed to expand capacity in the sector.

Together with Mr Khan’s leadership, this will drive the confidence and stability needed to scale up modular construction and push it into the mainstream.

“Many of the sites owned by the Greater London Authority are inaccessible to traditional construction, but workable for modular developers.”

By bringing forward publicly owned land, such as sites owned by Transport for London, the mayor can streamline the development process, getting homes built for Londoners at speed, while creating revenue streams for public bodies through long-term leases.

Many of the sites owned by the Greater London Authority are inaccessible to traditional construction, but workable for modular developers with a turnkey solution designed to deliver in dense, urban locations. Developing on these sites would unlock large swathes of land throughout the capital.

As one of the largest modular developers in the country and as leaders in the offsite sector, Tide Construction hopes these recommendations will be put into action by the mayor to create the step change needed in the UK’s construction sector.

Mark Farmer’s report last year poignantly highlighted how our industry must modernise to meet current housing targets. By scaling up offsite construction in London, the mayor can create the confidence and stability of demand needed for modular housing to make a tangible contribution to solving the housing crisis, while supporting a growing British industry that can compete on a global scale.

If we can get it right here in London, there is no reason we can’t get it right throughout the rest of the UK.

Christy Hayes, chief executive, Tide Construction