Ready-made homes lowered into shell of building left empty for years
Could this help solve Britain’s housing crisis? Ready-made homes with kitchen, bathroom and bedroom are lowered into shell of building left empty for years
- In what is believed to be a first for the UK building industry a modular home was lowered into an existing shell
- The Bristol building project was undertaken at night and a crane lifted a pre-fab home into a former nightclub
- The unit came complete with a kitchen, bathroom, and cavity wall insulation and only had to be unwrapped
- Fans of modular homes claim they can help the housing crisis by creating more, better homes faster
- Critics argue the sector relies heavily on imported goods and labour in contrast to the on-site building trade
These pictures show the first new homes ever built in Britain by craning pre-built houses into an existing building.
The new flats were literally lowered into a former nightclub in the middle of an iconic city centre Georgian street which has stood empty for three years..
Park Street in Bristol was closed last night, and will close again the next two nights, as the modular homes complete with kitchens and bathrooms are lowered into place by a giant crane.
The 1950s building, which formerly housed nightclub Salute!, is believed to be the first in the UK that will see bespoke, pre-built homes craned into an existing building.
Builders in Bristol’s prestigious Park Street undertake a construction first for the UK – fitting a pre-built apartment into the shell of an existing building
The construction has huge implications for the future of house building in the UK.
This kind of modular construction has been used widely for new builds on greenfield sites – but this new approach tests what is possible in tight urban sites.
Bristol developer Urban Creation bought 50 Park Street in 2018. Owner and director Jonathan Brecknell said he is ‘very excited’ to take modular construction to this new level.
He said: ‘This highly innovative approach has the potential to revolutionise the future of home building in the UK.’
Urban Creation has teamed up with modular construction specialist Go Modular, which has created bespoke, ready-to-go homes built specially to fit into the building.
The apartments are already fully fitted out and decorated with kitchens and bathrooms in place.
The street in Bristol – sought after Park Street – has to be closed off in anticipation of the arrival of the large low loader
The flat, pre-fabricated off site, was delivered to the city centre by articulated lorry which parked outside the property
Workmen co-ordinated the removal of the pre-fab from the artic, attaching wide load-bearing straps around the unit
A crane then hoisted the unit into the air. With the lights shining from behind the module you can see the wooden structure
The scheme will include 13 beds in total, including two three-bedroom flats, five one-bedrooms and two studios. This is an unusual approach as usually modular units are created in uniform shapes and sizes.
Mr Brecknell said: ‘The UK is facing a significant construction skills shortage, which is exacerbating the housing crisis as it means we aren’t delivering enough homes to meet demand.
‘Modular construction is set to revolutionise the future of home building in the UK, as it brings huge benefits compared to traditional builds.
‘There’s potential for modular homes to be delivered much quicker than traditional homes, putting less pressure on our stretched construction skills pool.
‘They’re created in a controlled environment, meaning the construction programme isn’t at the mercy of adverse weather – plus there are fewer snagging issues as a result.
‘Not to mention the fact that it causes less disruption to neighbours as most of the build is carried out off-site.’
The unit, its wooden wall structure already filled with cavity wall insulation, was hoisted high into the sir to get into position
the huge crane lifted the ready-made apartment unit from Go Modular over the top of the building facade towards workmen
The road was closed overnight but there was no need for months of building work at the Park Street location in Bristol
Once it has cleared the existing building shell and scaffolding the unit was lowered into place within the building’s walls
Workmen in high visibility clothing guided the ‘Flat 1-1’ down into the exact position specified on their plans
The unit, which has been pre-made including a kitchen and bathroom, was lowered down into position within the 1950s shell
The modular building industry has been growing for years it is is believed this was the first time a prefab unit was fitted within an existing building shell. the development could have major ramifications for the industry
A recent survey by the Federation of Master Builders found that housebuilders were encountering problems in recruiting skilled workers.
Sixty per cent of housebuilders say they are struggling to hire bricklayers, while 54 per cent find it difficult to employ carpenters and joiners.
Park Street will be closed over three nights from August 11 to 13, between the hours of 8pm and 5am, to lower the nine pre-built apartments into 50 Park Street by 200-tonne crane.
And the homes will be let to the student market, to be ready for occupation in September.
The site – 50 Park Street – was formerly a nightclub but was vacant and dilapidated when Urban Creation bought it in in 2013
Whilst most of the buildings in Park Street are Georgian, number 50 was built in the 1950s after the previous building was bombed during World War II.
Modular construction – where homes are created off-site in a factory – has been used widely for new builds, but this is believed to be the first time in the UK that homes have been specially made to fit into the shell of an existing building
Once ‘Flat 1-1’ was lowered into place behind the building’s facade a team worked to disconnect the straps and unwrap it
The unit was made off-site and comes complete with a kitchen and bathroom. The innovation could change the industry
Mr Brecknell said: ‘Modular homes are a far cry from the prefab housing of the 1940s. They are designed and fitted out to the highest standard and built to last.
‘We pride ourselves in our meticulous attention to detail and ability to take complex buildings and give them a new lease of life – and 50 Park Street is no different.’
‘Now that we’ve put this innovative approach into action, we’ll be looking to use this method in other suitable development projects.’
He added: ‘There is huge demand from both UK and international students for high quality accommodation in the heart of Bristol.
‘This particular city centre location is ideal thanks to its proximity to Bristol University and everything the city has to offer.
‘It’s important Bristol meets this demand as the student population is a major contributor to the local economy through spend in our shops, eateries and local businesses, not to mention the vast number of jobs created by the universities.’
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