Production begins on low-carbon homes for innovative Cambridgeshire scheme

Production has started on 56 factory-built new homes for our innovative new development in Cambridgeshire.

Low-carbon housing manufacturer LoCaL Homes, owned by GreenSquareAccord, will supply our development partners Burmor Construction with the units for our California Road development near Huntingdon.

The new homes are being built in the LoCaL Homes facility in Walsall and delivered to site as complete thermally efficient insulated wall panels with external coverings.

Once on site, the factory-built panels will be craned into place by Burmor Construction to create the new homes, with work due to start in December.

California Road will transform the site of a former car park, office and nursery – previously part of the Regional College’s Huntingdon campus – into much-needed one, two and three-bedroom homes which will be made available for shared ownership, rent to buy and social rent.

Marcus Keys, our Executive Director of Growth and Development, said: “We’re delighted to be working with LoCaL Homes and Burmour Construction, benefitting from their significant experience in delivering high-quality homes in a new way.

Our California Road development represents the first scheme on which we’ve utilised Modern Methods of Construction to this scale and so we’re very excited to see production begin on the panels that will eventually become affordable new homes.

“Using this method will create less waste, reduce the overall duration of the project and ensure the highest levels of quality assurance before the panels are even on-site.

“As a Group, our vision is to provide the homes people need, where they’re needing most and, by working with partners like LoCaL Homes and Burmour, utilising modern methods of construction, we’re delivering that vision in an innovative and environmentally-responsible way.

We now look forward to seeing these units coming to fruition, providing even more people from Huntingdon and the wider area with a place to call home.”

Chris Hagan, LoCaL Homes Director, added: “We are delighted to be working with Longhurst Group and Burmor Construction to deliver a low carbon, cost effective, sustainable solution that is both quick and easy to erect on site.

“This partnership demonstrates LoCaL Homes continued growth as we support both GreenSquareAccord and many other housing associations to deliver new affordable homes through modern methods of construction.”

Patrick Burke, Director at Burmor Construction, added: “When Burmor Construction began work with Longhurst Group on the California Road site, we were given the task of helping the Group deliver on their 2025 vision by increasing the use of MMC in their housing delivery programme.

“Having already established our partnership with LoCaL Homes on another affordable housing site which was delivered three months ahead of schedule, we were able to introduce Longhurst Group to the LoCaL Homes range of products, and more importantly, demonstrate the benefits by experience.

We are both privileged and excited to be delivering 56 new affordable homes for Huntingdon using the LoCaL Homes Eco200 system, on what will be a low carbon, sustainable housing scheme.

“We are looking forward to sharing the benefits with Longhurst Group of the time savings and consistency of quality that this method of delivery will bring.”

Craig Currie, Executive Director of Development at GreenSquareAccord added: “At GreenSquareAccord, we are passionate about supporting the delivery of truly affordable homes that set that standard for low carbon living.

“We are proud that this partnership will deliver homes using our innovative methods of prefabrication that deliver both cost and carbon savings, supporting the drive towards Net Zero 2050.”