Constructing Modern Methods (CMM) has launched a prototype toolkit which aims to help Councils meet their housing targets by bringing together complex data on modular housing providers in one place.
Working with the South West Procurement Alliance, CMM will be able to help local authorities, housing associations and combined authorities to assess which housing type is fit for their needs. With newly elected Bristol City Mayor, Marvin Rees, promising to deliver 1,000 affordable homes a year it is crucial that public authorities can utilise innovative methods to build high quality homes.
The toolkit was launched at a virtual event with an expert panel of speakers from Bristol City Council and the construction industry. The event also marked the launch of a new procurement notice which will register the best offsite housing providers in one place – creating a vibrant “shop window” for new housing companies.
UK housing is facing challenging times with a “triple threat” of new planning regulations, zero carbon targets and pressure to build homes more quickly to tackle affordable housing waiting lists.
Many see modular, offsite, housing as the solution. However, this is still a relatively emerging market and there is a need for clear and robust data to help build confidence in the public sector.
CMM Head of Construction and Sustainability, Phil Stott, said: “we are all so used to using comparison websites when making purchasing decisions and this is no different. Local authorities are using tax-payers’ money and it is important that they make the right decisions when building the homes that we need in our cities. There is no doubt that offsite, modular, homes are the future in terms of pace of build, quality and social value, but we have to realise that this market is not that mature and we have to help the public sector make informed, careful, decisions.”
Bristol Housing Festival Project Director, Jeremy Sweetland, said: “Bristol City Council has committed to building the homes the city needs using the newest and most innovative systems available. We have already pushed the envelope in terms of utilising offsite providers and now we must also make the best of technology internally, to help speed up the decision-making process within the Council’s own structures. Bristol has been incredibly brave in going first and it is hoped that they will pave the way for other public authorities to follow.”
SWPA Director, Mary Bennell said: “it is incredibly exciting that we are actively innovating to unlock the market. Procurement has often been a major barrier to new and emerging companies accessing public contracts and we are creating new and exciting methods and markets to allow those innovators to flourish.”
