The future of housing associations' initiatives to increase build efficiency in partnership with private housebuilders may face uncertainty as a result of consolidation within the private sector.
Social housing's largest-scale initiative for housebuilding innovation, Beazer Partnerships' agreement with more than 20 housing associations to produce timber frame homes under the Amphion consortium, is now awaiting Beazer's potential acquisition by Persimmon. Housing association the Guinness Trust, which has a partnership with manufacturer Britspace and Wimpey Homes to develop modular homes, also awaits the finalising of Wimpey/McLean's restructuring at the end of this month.

As housing associations have come under pressure to implement the recommendations of Sir John Egan's Rethinking Construction a number have sought solutions by entering partnerships with contractors and housebuilders, often involving off-site build technology.

Under the Amphion consortium, Beazer Partnerships has committed to manufacture and build 2000 homes over the next four years, establishing a new timber frame manufacturing plant in Ipswich, Torwood2, specifically to meet this demand. Persimmon has already suggested that it will reduce Beazer's social housing operations, but has said that it will honour its contractual obligations to housing association partners, including Amphion.

"We are pleased that Persimmon wishes to maintain this objective," said Richard Finlinson, Amphion chairman. Amphion has just announced the addition of two new housing association members - Home Group and Anglia Housing Group - to bring its membership up to 23.

Britspace is due to begin delivering modules for the first site of 23 homes in Chelmsford, Essex, this month with a second scheme planned nearby at Romford.

Source

Building Homes