Swan / NU living scoops Best Approach to Modular Construction at Inside Housing Development Awards!

Swan Housing Association last night won the Best Approach to Modular Construction award at the Inside Housing Development Awards. The judges were impressed by Swan’s innovative approach, which has seen them invest £3m in opening their own factory in Basildon to build up to 400 high quality modular homes a year.  

The judges praised how Swan, which won Housing Association of the Year at the What House? Awards last week, has been able to fund the factory set up and running costs through its £100m regeneration of Craylands, known as Beechwood.  This investment is creating up to 60 new jobs locally under our NU build brand and is allowing Swan to deliver these new, high-quality, homes in 50% of the traditional construction time, with 90% savings on waste and, initially 10% cost savings, with further savings expected as efficiencies increase.

Swan’s award-winning approach will not only reduce the time taken to deliver these new homes, but also reduce defects and increase their sustainability. Swan are using the factory, run by NU living, to make regeneration schemes more viable, for example, enabling them to deliver 220 new homes, plus retail and office space at their landmark regeneration at Laindon www.laindonfutures.co.uk. These homes have already won “Best Regeneration” at the Housing Design Awards 2017.

Geoff Pearce, Executive Director commented:

“We are delighted that Swan’s pioneering approach to modular construction has been recognised at the Inside Housing Development Awards. In awarding us the Best Approach to Modular Construction award, the judges recognised the innovativeness of our approach and the contribution we are making to delivering more high- quality homes, more quickly, to meet housing need.  At Beechwood over 500 new homes will be precision engineered in our local factory, by our manufacturing team, creating local jobs and contributing to UK manufacturing expertise. Of these homes, over 200 for private sale will, in addition, be fully customisable by the buyer – they will use our online configurator to design their new home from over one million options!  Working with our partners Basildon Borough Council and the Homes and Communities Agency, together with our architects PTE, we have been able to harness the benefits of modular to create a community that people will really want to live in!”