Homes England has chosen offsite construction specialist McAvoy Group to manufacture its new southeast offices in Northstowe in Cambridgeshire.
The government’s housing agency, a leading advocate of modern methods of construction (MMC), has selected McAvoy for the off-site manufacture of the two-storey building, which has been designed by architect Proctor & Mathews.
Homes England is leading a long-term project to deliver 8,500 new homes in the centre of Northstowe new town. This includes the off-site construction of a modular build office for Homes England staff, demonstrating the agency’s commitment to MMC as well as reducing on-site build time and disruption to the wider Northstowe site.
It has recently tendered its first parcel of land at Northstowe, with a requirement for developers to use panellised construction on at least half of the 400 homes on site. Plans for a plot solely using MMC techniques are also under consideration.
Paul Kitson, general manager for Homes England in the South East said: “Opting for an office built using MMC shows our strong commitment to non-traditional building methods. Working with McAvoy and Proctor & Matthews Architects will enable us to create an office that allows our workforce to experience first-hand the capabilities of modular construction.”
McAvoy Group construction director Raymond Millar added: “This project is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the potential of offsite construction and how the approach can realise an ambitious architectural design and deliver a high-quality and flexible office environment. By moving construction into a highly efficient factory environment, we will be significantly reducing the build programme, minimising disruption to local residents and offering greater certainty of completion to the highest quality standards, on time and on budget.”
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