Planning permission has been awarded to Legal & General Modular Homes to build 154 homes using modular construction at a site in Selby, North Yorkshire.
The firm’s recently reopened factory in Sherburn-in-Elmet near Leeds will produce the homes.
The 550,000 sq ft facility, which is operating within social distancing guidelines, will have capacity to manufacture 3,000 modular homes a year by 2024. Design and digital engineering specialists have been working remotely through the lockdown while 75 employees have now returned to the factory as part of a gradual phasing back of its 250 staff.
Under the Selby scheme Legal & General Modular Homes delivers a full development proposition, from buying land, developing the product, achieving planning consent and delivering the homes.
CEO Rosie Toogood said: “Using modular construction, Legal & General will be able to deliver high quality homes at a much faster rate than through traditional construction. In a post-Covid-19 crisis environment, the speed of delivery will be more important than ever before.”
Meanwhile, developer Urban Splash has reopened its construction sites and its House by Urban Splash modular factory.
The company is bringing its workers back from furlough in a “phased approach”. Non-site workers will continue to work from home, while the company’s five shareholding directors have agreed to take a 30% reduction in pay. Other colleagues remain on furlough.
Chairman Tom Bloxham said: “We have taken the time to brief colleagues in-depth on the specific processes at each site, allowing them to adhere to robust new health and safety measures, new ways of working and respect social distancing guidelines. With these in place, we are confident we can protect our workforce and will continue to monitor the guidelines issued by the government moving forward.”
Image: L&G Modular Homes’ factory in Sherburn-in-Elmet
