Bellway has completed the purchase of land from Homes England in Milton Keynes, where it will adopt new building technology for the first time in the UK, speeding up the build process with some homes built on a factory production line.
Bellway will build 160 homes using Modern Methods of Construction on the 9.2-acre parcel of land at Tattenhoe Park. This will include 40 modular homes and 120 homes built using timber frame panels.
The housebuilder was selected to develop the site at Tattenhoe Park as part of a Homes England pilot project to speed up the delivery of new homes.
The build programme will be completed within two years of work starting.
Paul Smits, Managing Director of Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “Bellway is committed to exploring innovative ways of delivering new homes more quickly and more sustainably. Tattenhoe Park is therefore a key project for the company, and for the community in Milton Keynes.
“Using Modern Methods of Construction will offer benefits beyond speeding up construction. The modular homes, which are built off-site, and the timber frame panels, which replace traditional breeze blocks, are produced in a controlled factory environment. This ensures consistent quality and removes any negative impact from weather conditions.
“Both methods improve energy efficiency by creating a more airtight home, and timber is a more sustainable material than brick. The modern processes also reduce the amount of waste produced in the build process.
“We have worked with Homes England and with our partners to ensure we can build these homes to the highest standards, for which Bellway is known as a HBF Five Star Builder.
“The end result will be a new community which looks comparable with Bellway’s other developments in the area, while delivering these additional benefits to the customer, the community and the environment.”
The project is one of a series being led by Homes England with the ambition of delivering 1,800 new homes across the country using a variety of modern construction methods.
Bellway’s 160 homes will form phase four of the wider Tattenhoe Park development.
Bellway will partner with ilke Homes to deliver the 40 modular homes. Stewart Milne Timber Systems will supply the timber frame panels for the remaining 120 homes.
The homes at Bellway’s Tattenhoe Park development will be a range of one and two-bedroom apartments, one and two-bedroom maisonettes and two to four-bedroom houses. The 48 affordable homes will be divided between rental and shared ownership, and there will be a selection of wheelchair accessible properties.
Bellway secured planning consent for the development at the end of 2021 and expects to start work on site by the summer.
Bellway’s Northern Home Counties division is based in Milton Keynes. The division is already building homes at Wavendon View and Wavendon Chase on the outskirts of Wavendon, and is set to launch a new development at Whitehouse Park in Milton Keynes later this year.