Developer to build 400 offsite homes in Cambridgeshire with Homes England help
Urban Splash has been selected to build more than 400 modular homes in Cambridgeshire, in what is one of the largest sites to use modern methods of construction in the UK.
The developer will build the homes in the centre of the new town of Northstowe, an 8,500-home scheme on the former RAF Oakington barracks which also includes a new town centre, schools and commercial space, led by Homes England.
The news comes just days after Urban Splash announced it had agreed a multimillion-pound deal with Japanese house builder Sekisui House and the government to build modular homes across the UK via investment in Urban Splash’s new ‘House’ division.
The homes in Northstowe will be constructed using prefabrication methods at Urban Splash’s factory in Alfreton, Derbyshire, more than 100 miles from the site. The site will be one of the largest in the country using modern methods of construction, subject to it being granted planning permission. Building of the homes is expected to start next year.
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Stephen Kinsella, executive director of land at Homes England, said: “We’re pleased to have Urban Splash join us at Northstowe and look forward to working with them on the next steps for the development as they seek to secure planning permission.”
Nathan Cornish, director at Urban Splash, said that the company had not worked in Cambridge before but that the city was “already on the map for interesting and pioneering housing design”.
“Our plans are to make well-designed, modular housing more widely available and we are delighted to be working with our long-term partners Homes England to make this happen in Cambridge,” he added.
The tie-up between Sekisui House and Urban Splash, agreed last week, will see Sekisui House own 35% of the new business, while Homes England took a 5% stake in the firm worth just over £3m.
We Buy Any Car founder Noel McKee also invested in the operation, with an investment worth around 5%. Urban Splash will own the remaining 55%.
