The government has pledged to make greater use of offsite building methods as it publishes its prospectus on the £1.7bn Accelerated Construction programme.
Local authorities outside London have until 28 February to express their interest in the programme, which aims to deliver 15,000 homes on surplus public sector land.
Councils will be selected for the plan on the basis of their ability to deliver housing starts in this parliament, to suggest sites that might otherwise not be sold for housing development and to respond to specific local housing needs.
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is offering various forms of support to councils that express interest, including using offsite building methods and constructing homes at “up to double the speed of a traditional development”.
It indicated that councils should set out in detail the surplus land that would be used for housing, whether that is owned by the local authority or still to be acquired, as well as indicating what support will be needed from the HCA and how likely planning permission is to be granted.
In November of this year, Melanie Leech, chief executive at the British Property Federation, praised the programme, saying: “The £1.7bn for Accelerated Construction on public land will also help upscale the modular construction sector, meaning a more efficient industry and the faster delivery of homes.”
A separate engagement process for London councils is also underway.
Original link - Inside Housing
