Offsite manufacturing played a significant role in meeting some of the country’s most server housing challenges for more than 70 years, hence why the government is looking to offsite construction in a bid to solve the housing crisis. In particular, the London Mayor Sadiq Khan is being urged to promote an offsite construction boom in a bid to solve the London’s housing crisis. Meeting London’s home building target of 50,000 new homes per year is a huge task and many argue traditional construction techniques will only take us so far.
It is apparent that offsite manufacturing is an effective method of construction which offers many advantages over traditional ‘brick and block’ construction. Including shorter build times, improved quality, more energy efficient, less waste and lower costs for buyers. However, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) argues that offsite manufacturing can only take us so far in terms of solving London’s housing crisis.
Barry Mortimer, Director of FMB London said: A rise in offsite construction and modular homes could be part of the solution in terms of helping to increase diversity and supply in the UK new homes market. However, offsite manufactured homes will never be the ‘silver bullet’ to solving the housing crisis and there is a danger to become complacent about the serious shortage of skilled workers.
For many, there is an understandable degree of nervousness surrounding offsite manufacturing as this requires a new approach for many aspects of the business including future skills in construction. Nevertheless, we should welcome the opportunity to close the housing gap.
Take a look at the London Assembly Planning Committee report
Read the full Press Release here