Background
Barton Gardens is the first development we’ve completed in partnership with Magna Housing. Sherborne is a historic market town in North Dorset, approximately six miles east of Yeovil. Average property prices in 2021/2 were £452,367, which meant many people are unable to afford to buy their own home. Shared ownership is an excellent way to get on the property ladder. Likewise, the monthly rent for a three-bed house in Sherborne is at least £1,000 per month, which is similarly unaffordable for many people; two of these new homes are let by Magna Housing at a social rent which enables local people to rent within their existing area.
Partnership
Rollalong teamed up with Magna Housing, Wiltshire Council and the South West Procurement Alliance (SWPA) to address the housing crisis in the South West. Through the SWPA’s Offsite Construction of New Homes framework the objective is to build nearly 1,000 new modular homes between 2022 and 2025.
The partners are committed to accelerating the delivery of modular homes in the UK, using offsite manufactured, precision-engineered techniques to deliver much needed homes in the local area, as well as modernising and speeding up the overall process.
The development of these new homes, designed with the end user in mind, supports the local economy by employing local people and using local suppliers. The construction process also reduces any environmental impact as it uses less energy, reduces waste and creates less disruption to local residents, thanks to fewer deliveries to site over a shorter period of time.
Design
Barton Gardens comprises one three-bedroom home for shared ownership and two three-bedroom homes for affordable rent. The three homes are constructed from 12 modules manufactured offsite, with an external faced render system and good sized gardens with a shed and patio area. They are located behind existing properties in Barton Gardens and have transformed a garage site into a striking terrace, complete with landscaping and a parking court.
The homes are from the Magna portfolio designed for manufacture by Rollalong to ensure a product-led mind set, championing high quality, energy efficiency, design flexibility and consumer choice. They are Bramble house types for five people featuring three bedrooms and form part of our proof of concept phase on our homes.
Delivery
These new homes form part of our phase one programme of 46 modular homes. Fifteen homes are currently under construction at McCreery Road in Sherborne, eight homes are being built at Bull Bridge Mead in Halstock, and four more are being built on Eddison Avenue in Dorchester. Two homes have recently been completed at Woodland Way in Chickerell.
Using modern methods of construction (MMC) Rollalong can almost halve the time required for a development compared to traditional building methods.
Social value
The development of these new homes, designed with the end user in mind, supports the local economy by employing local people and using local suppliers. The construction process also reduces any environmental impact as it uses less energy, reduces waste and creates less disruption to local residents, thanks to fewer deliveries to site over a shorter period of time.
Client feedback
“I am delighted that we are now seeing our hard work turn into reality with new homes now on site and people being ready to move in. This partnership will not only make more homes available for local people but will lead the way in how we can transform the delivery of these.”
Paul Read, Magna Housing
“We firmly believe we’re building the highest quality affordable housing in Wiltshire with the lowest rents. This work has demonstrated that when you collaborate and join forces, collective buying power is greater than working alone.”
Councillor Phil Alford, Wiltshire Council
“The demand aggregation approach used here will provide a stable pipeline of homes, via a manufacturing process, and demonstrates benefits in terms of value for money. We hope that this becomes the preferred route for all social housing clients to deliver affordable, high-quality and energy-efficient homes.”
Mary Bennell, South West Procurement Alliance