Leading modular housing company ilke Homes has today craned into place the first factory-built home on a site in Beeston which was formerly owned by Network Rail.
In just 20 months, ilke Homes has secured the site, achieved full planning permission, and delivered the first homes. The speed at which the modular housing company has been able to achieve these milestones was one of the main reasons why it was chosen to deliver on the 2.2-acre site by Network Rail.
In partnership with emh group, a housing association, ilke Homes is delivering 42 affordable homes on the vacant brownfield site next to Beeston station.
As part of sweeping reforms to the planning system, the Government is encouraging the redevelopment of brownfield sites to bring new investment into areas and increase housing delivery.
The announcement represents a further step in the company’s move to becoming a fully-integrated housing developer, meaning they acquires land, secures planning permission, manufactures the homes and develops the sites.
ilke Homes’ full ‘turnkey’ offering was added to the business in 2020 and sits alongside its ‘homes only’ offering, where ilke Homes solely manufactures homes and delivers them to site for a developer.
All of the homes are being precision-engineered along production lines at ilke Homes’ 250,000 ft² factory in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. By manufacturing offsite, ilke Homes is able to provide affordable housing providers with many benefits, including:
- Speed: Homes are delivered in half the time of traditional methods, meaning companies such as emh group can access revenue streams at the earliest point possible while speeding up the delivery of much-needed affordable housing for local communities
- Sustainability: the modular homes exceed current and soon-to-be-introduced building regulations, avoiding the need for costly retrofitting programmes down the line and ensuring residents can heat their homes more cheaply. The homes at the site in Beeston can be powered on as a little as £2-a-day
- Standardisation: Modular homes are created along production lines using standardised processes, similar to the automotive industry, meaning homes are consistently delivered to the highest standards. This also helps local planners better understand the product and give them faith that quality will be consistent throughout a scheme
- Flexibility: Cutting-edge technology deployed along the production lines enables the company to offer clients a range of different aesthetics and designs that match local character and vernacular
Tom Heathcote, executive director of development at ilke Homes, comments:
“It’s great to reach yet another milestone at the site in Beeston, where we have worked closely with Network Rail and emh group to bring forward a parcel of brownfield land for the development of much-needed housing. This development, once complete, will prove to be an exemplary case study of how offsite manufacturing can breathe new life into public land via the delivery of well-designed communities that are connected to transport hubs.”
Robin Dobson group property director at Network Rail, comments:
“As one of the most strategically important sites in the UK, we are proud to have created a partnership with ilke Homes on the redevelopment of this brownfield site, to enable the delivery of affordable-led modular sustainable housing in this growing region, putting transport infrastructure at the very heart of the development.
“This is a partnership that focuses on the Government’s strategy to accelerate the rollout of modular sustainable housing to drive local economic growth.
“It’s a project that demonstrates the pivotal role our railway can play in unlocking sites which deliver growth. We’re delivering it through a public and private partnership, an approach we’ll be looking to replicate in other towns and cities across the country. It will provide long-lasting benefits for the local community and the region.”
Chris Jones, executive director of development at emh group, said:
“We are delighted that our partnership with ilke Homes enables us to regenerate this brownfield site to deliver much needed, high quality modern homes for local communities. This is part of our wider plan as a strategic partner of Homes England, to create places where people feel proud to live, and thrive.”