In today’s UK construction news, we will look into the acquisition of a 20% share in Custom Built Houses by Steenvlinder. Meanwhile, unveiling of a plan to increase the building of council houses. On the other hand, the reorganisation of Wigan’s schools is approved. Moreover, Dover has received a finished residential infill scheme from Avanti, which was spread across three sites.

Steenvlinder buys 20% of Custom Built Houses

Original Source: Steenvlinder acquires 20% stake in Custom Build Homes

Steenvlinder, a community-driven developer for individual and collective self-builders, has bought 20% of Edinburgh-based Custom Built Houses (CBH).

This investment allows Steenvlinder to work with CBH and shows both parties’ commitment to expanding the UK’s developing custom and self-build (CSB) housing market and making it more accessible.

In 2021, Steenvlinder, a 2015 Dutch startup, expanded to the UK. This relationship with CBH allows Steenvlinder to expand across the British Isles from its two sites in Kent and one in the Midlands. Steenvlinder welcomes new inquiries from interested parties.

Hans Sparreboom, Steenvlinder founder & CEO and CBH board member, said: “While the ambition to increase the number of homes is important, the social ambition to make CSB more accessible will diversify the UK’s housing market with better-designed homes for happier homeowners and more vibrant communities.

I’m thrilled to work with CBH. Our methodology, expertise, and openness to self-building in The Netherlands will complement CBH’s UK market understanding and practicality. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.â€�

While incubated at BuildStore, CBH created the UK’s customer demand database, The Right to Build Register. This deal gives CBH ownership of the technology on which several local planning authorities track demand for CSB housing in their areas and where millions of data points from over 100,000 applications inform planning, design, and development decisions to create new places and products that meet local needs.

“We are thrilled and excited to have such an experienced, forward-thinking, and socially minded developer like Steenvlinder as a stakeholder and board member,” said CBH founder and CEO Tom Connor. Their continental approach to growth and placemaking through CSB has helped them grow swiftly in The Netherlands, and their eagerness to share and coach means we will find lots of opportunities to partner in the UK going forward.â€�

More council housing buildings announced

Original Source: Plan to increase council house building unveiled

The non-profit Housing & Finance Institute (HFI) and think tank Localis have proposed increasing council home construction.

Their research, Public Renting Houses – a novel approach, proposes a new public/private collaboration between councils and private developers.

To build enough public rental homes, what percentage of private residences must be built? (PRH).

Councils should not negotiate affordable housing percentages in private housing developments.

Backers call this a “bottom-up” approach.

Councils would find housing locations. Councils would rent PRH homes at half market cost after construction.

Developers would take all the risk and make 20% on PRH and private apartments.

“Thousands of families and individuals, both young and old, are trapped in the trap of being unable to afford to buy or rent privately, but finding no alternative that they can possible afford,” said Sir Steve Bullock, chair of The Housing and Finance Institute Board.

“More people are slipping into this trap each month as the availability of new affordable homes is decreasing.

The HFI commissioned this research to provide a cross-party solution to the cost-of-living challenge.

unaffordable

The new strategy addresses the issue that most “affordable” housing is not affordable and municipalities have years-long housing waiting lists.

Local governments listed 52,000 new affordable dwellings in 2020/21, but only 6,000 were affordable. 1.2 million were on housing waitlists.

Bullock added: “Putting the emphasis on building new social houses has the potential to be a win–win, with homeless people having a better opportunity of moving to quality properties that they can afford and transform into homes while the economic impact of the construction will have wider advantages.

The HFI will work with councils, government, and developers in the coming weeks to achieve this.

Wigan school reforms

Original Source: Wigan approves school overhaul

In May, BAM Construction will replace the present school building with a new 85,000-square-foot structure at Byrchall High School, located off Warrington Road.

Wigan Council has authorised the project, which is scheduled to be completed in June 2024.

The existing 1960 building will be removed and rebuilt with a two- or three-story structure, according to drawings drafted by BAM Design. The new school will be constructed in phases, allowing instruction to continue during construction.

The new structure will provide students with a multipurpose sports hall with four courts, a dance studio, educational workshops, and a dining room for events and performances.

There will be an outdoor sports field and performance area, a snack bar, and a pizza oven on the exterior.

In addition to the existing 10 bicycle parking spaces and 137 automobile parking spaces, 50 additional bicycle spots are proposed.

The landscape architect for the project is Dally Henderson Landscape, while Lambert Smith Hampton is the planning consultant. Via Solutions provides transport-related advice.

Byrchall High School is one of four schools in Wigan to receive a piece of the £1 billion School Rebuilding Project funded by the Department of Education.

Bam is also currently working on the £24 million Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley.

Avanti has completed three home infill plots for the Dover council

Original Source: Avanti completes council residential infill scheme across three sites in Dover

Avanti has completed a project for Dover District Council that includes a mix of social-rent, shared ownership, and private units designed to create a regional standard for inclusive, tenure-neutral housing.

The project consists of a combination of public and private housing townhouses and apartments on three interconnected urban infill sites, in three- and four-story buildings.

The blocks are linked by the usage of a single brick type animated by a variety of intricate characteristics and textured patterns. They supply 18 social rent council housing units, 35 shared ownership housing units, and 12 private housing units. There are apartments with one to three bedrooms.

The multiple scales of the blocks handle a difficult sloping site, with the highest terrace of nine residences adopting a stepped section and presenting a two-story scale to the street.

The enhanced density of the development is meant to better connect the surrounding disconnected post-war growth, which had shattered an older, more uniform Victorian street plan.

The pattern is intended to restore active frontages and introduce a new pedestrian route connecting upper residences to the town centre. The landscaping includes a new modest community park facing the new affordable housing complex.

The primary objective of the client was for the project to exceed the national minimum space requirements. Thus, Avanti adhered to a higher set of standards: the 2010 London House Design Guide, which was previously adopted by the Greater London Authority and contains minimum furniture and storage provisions as well as future flexibility allowances.

Extensive consultation with local organisations, including the Dover Society and resident associations, led to the development of the plan.

Architect’s perspective

We are honoured to have been granted the opportunity to assist Dover in realising its goal for inclusive, tenure-blind housing that not only offers much-needed homes, including new social rent housing, but also helps to the revitalization of this magnificent city. This is the first council-led development of this type in Dover, and we have enjoyed working with a forward-thinking client who was able to express clear priorities in terms of undertaking a co-design process that focuses on repairing an area with disjointed post-war development and reestablishing the street network.

By changing scale and roof geometry, we have attempted to come up with a fresh answer to an intriguing and complex collection of interconnected locations. Engaging with local communities and using a grasp of local history and cultural heritage enabled us to produce a result that is unique to its location while maintaining overall cohesion.

Avanti Architects’ director Adrian Miles

Client’s view

We are ecstatic that Avanti Architects’ exemplary housing development has met DDC’s aspirational requirements specified in the initial project brief. Working within the constraints of a challenging brownfield site, a limited budget, and a condensed schedule, Avanti has successfully met all of our project goals and supplied us with far more units than anticipated. This design will set the norm for future residential developments in the city, and the attentive approach to scale and form will assist to restore the harm to the urban fabric caused by the post-war housing estate.

Frank Thompson, Dover District Council’s senior asset manager

This is the most ambitious housing project the council has undertaken in decades, demonstrating our dedication to immediately provide new, contemporary, and affordable houses for local residents. The restoration of this brownfield site returns vacant land to productive use and enhances the public realm, including the addition of a new pocket park, for the benefit of the surrounding community.

Cllr. Susan Chandler, housing cabinet member, Dover District Council

Our objective was to design a residential complex that will alter perceptions about Dover and serve as a precedent for future residential projects. Through their design, Avanti Architects have demonstrated that there is a market in Dover for high-quality housing. The project will produce a healthy mix of spacious market-sale homes and cheap apartments, each of which will be designed to a high standard and clearly signal that the gateway to England is now open for business.

Summary of today’s construction news

Overall, we discussed Custom Built Homes Located in Edinburgh, which has acquired a twenty percent stake from community-driven developer Steenvlinder, which caters to both individual and group self-builders (CBH).

Meanwhile, increasing the production of council homes has been advocated for by the non-profit Housing & Finance Institute (HFI) and the think tank Localis. Public Renting Homes – a Novel Approach is the title of their study that suggests a new public/private partnership between municipalities and private builders.

Furthermore, at Byrchall High School, just off Warrington Road, BAM Construction will begin construction on a brand-new 85,000-square-foot building in May to replace the current school. The project has been approved by the Wigan Council and is expected to be finished by June of 2024.

On top of that, for Dover District Council, Avanti has finished a project that aims to set a regional norm for inclusive, tenure-neutral housing by combining social-rent, shared-ownership, and private apartments.