Faithful+Gould — a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group — has been appointed by Canvas Homes and Beyond Housing to help deliver a 117-unit modular housing development in Stockton-on-Tees, which on completion will be the largest housing scheme delivered entirely through Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in the North of England.
Princeton Gardens — located on a large brownfield site between Durham University’s Queens Campus and the River Tees — is a mixed-tenure residential scheme made up of volumetric modular homes with an emphasis on placemaking, sustainability and green space.
Working alongside developer Canvas Homes, housing provider Beyond Housing and Homes England, Faithful+Gould will manage the scheme pre and post contract as employer’s agent and oversee health and safety as principal designer.
Adam Hartley, Associate Director at Faithful+Gould, said: “MMC offers a huge opportunity to deliver large developments like Princeton Gardens at a high quality but affordable cost. With pressures on the industry to increase productivity and social value, Faithful+Gould is committed to providing our clients best-in-class MMC advice so that they can use these methods to their, and their communities, advantage.”
Canvas’ modular homes use high quality materials with high thermal performance that exceed regulatory requirements. Through offsite construction, energy use, materials, waste, noise pollution and disruption are reduced, making this an environmentally friendly and efficient way to build homes.
To further reduce waste as part of this development, Canvas Homes will be using recycled steel piles from de-commissioned North Sea oil platforms and by pioneering pre-cast foundations which are also made offsite.
James Mottram, CEO of Canvas Homes, said: “We are proud to be working with Beyond Housing, Faithful+Gould and Homes England to bring forward high-quality, eco-friendly homes in Stockton as part of the largest modular housing scheme in the North of England.
“Britain is slowly becoming aware of the pioneering work being delivered by Stockton Borough Council and Mayor Ben Houchen to regenerate Stockton and the wider Tees Valley. This partnership creates an opportunity to deliver a true mix of tenure on sites, enabling the people of Stockton to live in a high-quality home through rent to buy, shared ownership or affordable rent.”
Frances Barlow, Development Manager at Beyond Housing, said: “Princeton Gardens is a fantastic development which will deliver much-needed, family-ready, eco-friendly homes in Stockton.
“We are pleased to be working in close partnership with Canvas Homes in delivering this flagship scheme for the North of England.”
Homes England, the Government’s housing agency, has worked to find a developer for the site, as well as providing grants for the provision of affordable housing.
Ian Hall, Senior Development Manager at Homes England, said: “We are excited to work with Canvas Homes and Beyond Housing to unlock a site where they are bringing forward the largest modular housing scheme in the north.
“We’re passionate supporters of MMC and the sustainability benefits that they bring. As such we’re excited to see Canvas Homes’ plans to go the extra mile and bring these high-quality, eco-friendly and affordable homes to life.”
Work will commence on site this summer, with the scheme expected to complete at the end of 2022.
