Are modular homes the future?

Magna Housing is doing just that by developing a partnership with local company Rollalong, to create sustainable and flexible homes for the future that are built in a factory environment.

Paul Read, Head of Development and Sales at Magna Housing, explains:  “The work we have undertaken demonstrates that these modular homes, built in this factory are more cost-effective to maintain and quicker to construct. They generate less waste both on site and in the factory, generate less traffic in and around the sites we develop and also have a lower carbon footprint in use than traditional brick houses, making them a sustainable housing solution.”

Paul continued: “We think that people deserve a home to be proud of that sits nicely within the local vernacular. Magna is here, for the long term, to help to deliver that. 

“Building the homes in a factory setting, using modern methods of construction (MMC) helps to ensure consistently achieving the highest quality of build, ensuring that, for our customers, we achieve the environmental benefits this way of building homes provides.

“We’re now ready to roll out our first 45 factory built homes onto site and have placed our next order for a further 50 homes from the newly designed 2020/21 range of larger, greener and all electric homes.” 

Steve Chivers, Managing Director of Rollalong said: “Our ongoing collaboration with Magna will ensure that high-quality, precision-engineered homes continue to be manufactured in the local area by local people.”

Scale, repetition and volume makes the business model work for offsite manufacturers like Rollalong but does require a step change in thinking.  

”Manufacturing homes that are built to last is a new concept for many people and something that needs a new way of thinking. The quality of the homes we produce are exceptional but when you mention modular, some may be sceptical about this. We’ve been building homes in this way for the Ministry of Defence, and the evidence that we have from years of building homes for our service men and women is that people are extremely satisfied with this way of building and something that we now, more than ever, need to do more to help with the national housing crisis.” said Steve.

Steve added: “As we are a local manufacturing company we employing our workforce directly and we’re pleased to be able to support the local economy and provide work for our local community.”

“Local homes built by local people is important to us as a company as we are embedded within the communities we serve and can see the connection between what we do and the impacts we have.” Paul said.

“With our new range of homes, each home, whether it’s a 1 bed flat or a 4 bed house, will be bigger and more adaptable, reflecting  that the designs can flex and adapt to people’s lives. Our lives may never return to normal after the lockdown – lifestyles will change and people’s needs may alter. Perhaps more people will work from home in future and will be looking for extra space, and this new range of homes can flex and adapt to that.” 

“We are excited about our first schemes coming to life on sites across Dorset, which will demonstrate the wide range of looks being achieved that we have worked hard with the urban design teams at Dorset Council and our Architects on. Even the wildlife is being looked after with the inclusion of bat and bird boxes and bee bricks within our schemes. These things all matter to Magna and to our customers, as we build and then stay invested in our homes, maintaining them and looking after the landscapes we produce.”

Magna will be investing £400m into its existing and new homes over the next decade.

To find out more about Magna’s plans to build new homes, visit: https://www.magna.org.uk/about-us/help-advice-and-information/building-new-homes

More information about Rollalong can be found at: https://www.rollalong.co.uk/

If you’re interested in renting with Magna, or buying a shared ownership home, take a look at: https://www.magna.org.uk/find-a-property