How We Embrace AI in our Processes at Rollalong

Summer is here, and with it comes a busy period of delivery across our factory. As with previous years, this summer sees us delivering SEND projects to schools across the South – learning environments that we have been designing and manufacturing for many years, and understand the importance of getting them right.

Across our housing projects, more homes are being delivered to multiple sites across Wiltshire, alongside the near-completion of our Meanwhile Use homes in Havering and a 16-home development in Surrey for our sister company Newship Developments.

AI may be a buzzword, but for us, it is about practical application. We have been integrating AI across our design and manufacturing processes to improve accuracy, reduce errors and work more efficiently.

Manufacturing has started on a new SEND Inclusion Hub for The Hamble School, delivered in partnership with Hampshire County Council through the Southern Modular Building Framework (SMBF). This full turnkey six-bay building will include two classrooms, a life skills room, a group room, office and meeting spaces, and all supportin facilities, including accessible WC provision.

Over the years and working with the local authority, we have refined our approach to designing and manufacturing buildings that genuinely meet the needs of SEND learners, and each project we deliver adds to that knowledge and experience.

From AI-assisted visualisations that give clients a clear and realistic picture of their building before manufacture begins (as shown on The Hamble School SEND Inclusion Hub), through to how we manage and plan our production schedules, AI is being applied across multiple stages of our process. In design, this means fewer errors, earlier identification of potential issues, and a more collaborative experience for clients who can see and respond to their building before a module leaves the factory. In manufacturing, it is helping us work more consistently and efficiently, making better use of materials and our team’s time. The technology supports our people rather than replacing them, with the skills and experience of our team remaining central to everything we deliver.

We are currently recruiting for designers to join our growing design team at Rollalong.

Based at our Dorset office, you will work across a range of modular building projects spanning residential, education and defence, from RIBA Stage 1 through to site construction. We have positions available at both Lead Designer and Designer level.

That’s Q1 wrapped up already, it’s flown by, and what a busy start to the year here at Rollalong!

In housing, our teams continue work on our Meanwhile Use scheme with Wates, helping the London borough of Havering bring high-quality temporary homes to its community.

In education, SEND provision continues to be a growing focus. Our modular buildings, whether temporary or permanent, offer schools adaptable and welcoming spaces that meet specific learning requirements. With much of the construction completed off-site, installation is faster, safer, and causes less disruption for students and staff.

Looking ahead, we have many exciting projects coming up throughout the year, and we can’t wait to share the progress as they take shape.

Temporary by use, not temporary by design.

Relocatable housing is a modular solution designed to be flexible, high-quality, and fully compliant with building regulations and NDSS. These homes can be installed quickly at a site, and then relocated to new locations as needs change.

Where they can be used

• Meanwhile Use – Development Sites (for example, our recent Havering project in collaboration with Wates)
• Brownfield Sites
• Key Worker Accommodation

Learn more about the process on our website.

We’ve been providing SEND education spaces for many years, giving us expertise in delivering the right environments for pupils with special educational needs. Whether it’s temporary classrooms that can be installed quickly to meet urgent space needs or permanent SEND buildings designed and built to support a range of specialist spaces from sensory and quiet rooms to breakout and nurture areas, our modular approach reduces disruption for schools while delivering quality learning environments.

February has been a milestone month for us at Rollalong. We’ve installed the first module on our inaugural Meanwhile Use housing scheme for Wates Residential and the London Borough of Havering, a big step towards delivering much‑needed temporary homes. It was great to have pupils from St Edward’s CofE Academy and local councillors join us on site to see the project taking shape.

At MOD Lyneham, our team has delivered 3 new SLA accommodation blocks for Kier Construction and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). It’s another strong example of modular construction supporting complex Defence programmes with quality, consistency and pace.

We’re also proud to be working with the RNLI on a new project that’s now underway. It’s an organisation that does astonishing work, and we’re incredibly excited to share more information about this very soon.

Looking ahead, there’s an increasing focus on SEND provision across the country. Schools and local authorities are under pressure to provide adaptable, welcoming spaces that meet specific learning needs with little disruption. Our modular education buildings are designed to do just that.

Working with Kier Construction for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to supply 3 Single Living Accommodation blocks for the new training facilities at MOD Lyneham. Our work supported the DIO in creating modern, comfortable living spaces for RAF personnel.

The first modules have now arrived at Waterloo and Queens Street in the London Borough of Havering, marking an exciting milestone for the project. To celebrate, we held a landing event with local school children, councillors, and project partners.

Wates and Rollalong gave presentations to introduce guests to the meanwhile homes as well as the larger scheme for the site. Afterwards, everyone watched as the first module was lifted into place.

• One single‑classroom unit with accessible W.C., breakout space and calming room
• Two double‑classroom units, each equipped with accessible W.C.s, breakout areas and calming rooms
• All set within fully enclosed, DDA‑compliant external spaces designed to support safe movement, structured play and therapeutic outdoor learning.

The year has started off busy at Rollalong, and I’m happy to share what our team has achieved so far. Thanks to offsite construction, our projects have stayed on track despite Storm Chandra and the challenging January weather. The Havering project is progressing well, with delivery on schedule and the first modules arriving in February. We’re also delighted that our temporary accommodation has been shortlisted for two industry awards, a fantastic recognition of the team’s hard work and innovation.

At the beginning of January we delivered a new school building for Silverwood School in under 40 days from first contact, showing how quickly we can create high-quality learning spaces with off-site construction. As many schools begin planning for the next term, now the perfect time to consider your own building needs. Whether you need mainstream classrooms or specialist SEND facilities, starting early helps us meet your deadlines and ensures a smooth delivery.

We kicked off the year strong and delivered our first building within just a few days.

Since meeting with Silverwood School and Wiltshire Council a little over a month ago, we have installed one SEND classroom. Two more double SEND classrooms are set to be installed at the start of February. This project shows how modular construction can quickly provide flexible, high-quality classrooms that help schools adapt to changing needs.

We’re pleased to share that our collaborative modular temporary housing project, has been shortlisted in two categories at The Pineapples Awards: the Strategy Award and the Building Award. Delivered in partnership with Wates Group, RCKa and Design 4 Structures, the project demonstrates a thoughtful and scalable approach to addressing temporary housing needs.

Our team recently held a careers day at a local school close to our Waterloo & Queen Street project in Havering, where we are building temporary modular homes. Students learned about construction careers through workshops, games, and hands-on activities. They saw how projects like the nearby homes are built and discovered the different jobs involved. The event helped connect what they learn in class to real-world projects, gave them ideas for future careers, and supported our goal of creating social value in the communities where we build.

The year has started off busy at Rollalong, and we have a lot more coming up. We’re delivering more school buildings to Silverwood School, showing how quickly we can create high-quality learning spaces. At the same time, the first modules are arriving at our Waterloo & Queen Street project in Havering, so the project is staying on schedule and moving forward smoothly, even with the winter weather.

Following our recent careers day at a local school near the Havering project, we’re continuing to support young people and share how modular construction works in practice, with them coming down to watch the first modules being installed.

We’re also busy designing new education buildings to make sure schools across the region get them by summer, helping everyone start the next term without delays.

Our team recently hosted a careers day at a local school near our Waterloo & Queen Street project in Havering. Rollalong is providing temporary modular homes there to help local families.

The event let students explore different careers in modular construction and the construction sector as a whole. They also learned how our modular building projects like the one near their school come together.

The day began with an introduction to the local development and the temporary homes being built. This gave them useful background on what’s happening nearby and how modular construction can quickly create quality homes.

Staff from Rollalong, Wates, and D4S joined in for the whole day, leading interactive sessions to show what different jobs involve.

In the morning, students took part in a fun “Guess the Career” game. They asked yes-or-no questions to match team members with their jobs, which encouraged curiosity and problem-solving. The activity got everyone talking and helped students learn about different paths into construction, design, manufacturing, and other fields, while meeting professionals face-to-face.

The day also featured career workshops where students tried out different roles. In the structural engineering workshop, teams built paper structures to learn about engineering and teamwork. In the marketing workshop, students created a mock social media post to see how projects are shared with the public. In the Design Workshop, students drew home plans and learned about the basics of design and spatial planning.

These sessions showed that building homes takes more than just construction. It involves designers, engineers, marketers, sales teams, procurement, estimators, and many others working together.

18 Temporary Homes in Havering

Take a closer look at our temporary modular solution being installed on Waterloo and Queens Street in Havering.

As we approach the end of the calendar year and our financial year, we reflect on the year and take pride in the hard work and commitment of our teams and customers. But one thing that’s often overlooked in our business and in modular construction more broadly is the vital role we play in protecting the health and safety of our teams, both on and off-site. We often talk about speed and cost as the major benefits of our approach, but as we head into the Christmas period and look forward to time with family and friends, it feels important to pause and remember what truly matters, making sure everyone goes home safely at the end of each day.

The article below highlights the progress made, but it also reminds us that there’s still more to do across our industry. Together, we can continue improving safety standards and creating a safer future for everyone involved in construction.

Since this is our final newsletter before Christmas, I’d like to wish you a very merry Christmas.

Over 50% of all construction fatalities are due to falls from height. So, what do we do different at Rollalong?

To manage installation safely, we’ve developed a working-at-height system that’s simple, effective, and reliable. Our teams wear harnesses with retractable lanyards anchored to the lifting frame and crane. The cable system works much like a seatbelt: if someone slips, it locks instantly, preventing a fall.

In November, following the October half-term, we officially opened the new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) building at Forres Sandle Manor School. Rollalong attended the grand opening, welcoming students, parents, alums, and members of the local community to tour the new facility.

The two-storey building features a fully glazed entrance atrium and lift, three science classrooms with preparation rooms and a chemical storage area, two art rooms, a large Design Technology classroom with an integrated IT suite, a library, a math room, and a staff room.

We are thrilled to be partnering with Royal BAM Group as our client, alongside our talented colleagues at Design 4 Structures and HNW Architects. Together, we’re looking forward to delivering something truly exceptional.

Watch this space for updates as the project progresses.

Check out Dan’s harness-safety article in this newsletter! He’s the man behind our Health and Safety, with over 25 years’ experience across aerospace, infrastructure, and modular construction. After studying Environmental Management at university, he began in aerospace quality before moving into environmental and H&S leadership roles, bringing a wealth of SHEQ expertise to Rollalong. Away from the modular world, he enjoys golf, family time, and following The Saints ⚽ ⚪

December is traditionally a quieter month, but there’s still plenty happening at Rollalong.

Last night’s panel on ‘Demountable and Meanwhile Use Temporary Accommodation’ reminded us how our solutions help build better communities.

We’re deep into designing next year’s modular education buildings, while the factory is busy with meanwhile schemes scheduled for early 2026 installation.

This month, we’ll also support a careers day at a local school near our Havering meanwhile housing project, an opportunity to inspire the next generation and show how what they’re learning translates into real-life projects.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be December without a last-minute rush! A few emergency classrooms are being installed in just weeks, before the Christmas break.

When it comes to offsite construction, safety starts long before a module ever hits a site. By assembling modules in a controlled factory environment, we can work with a level of precision. Every step is planned, repeatable, and designed to be safer and smarter than traditional construction.

In the factory, we can reduce heavy lifting, reduce work at height, and manage risks before they ever reach your site. But once the modules arrive on location, the challenges change, and that’s where our real innovation comes in. With careful planning, the right equipment, and experienced teams, we make sure every installation is smooth, safe, and causes as little disruption as possible.

Installing large, pre-fabricated sections means working at height, often in conditions where scaffolding isn’t practical. To manage this safely, we’ve developed a working-at-height system that’s simple, effective, and reliable.

Our teams wear harnesses with retractable lanyards anchored to the lifting frame and crane. To a passer-by, walking across stacked modules without visible edge protection may look nerve-wracking, but the system works much like a seatbelt: if someone slips, it locks instantly, preventing a fall.

We support this with robust rescue plans, whether lowering the crane or using a MEWP, and everyone involved is fully trained. Regular drills ensure the process becomes second nature.

Once modules are in place, the heaviest, highest-risk work is complete. Teams can focus on connecting modules, finishing interiors, and completing utilities, all in a safe, controlled way.

Taken together, the controlled factory environment, technological advantages, enhanced safety measures, reduced environmental impact, and careful site planning, modular construction shows what the future of building can be.

I manage Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality (SHEQ) at Rollalong, drawing on more than 25 years of experience shaped by a varied career path. After studying Environmental Management at university, I began in the Quality department of a Class 1 aerospace components manufacturer, where I learned precision engineering, quality management, and rigorous auditing. I then moved to a multinational highways and infrastructure technology company, progressing from Quality Assurance to leading Environmental Management—implementing ISO 14001—and later expanding into Health & Safety while completing my NEBOSH Diploma across both manufacturing and construction environments. For the past eight years at Rollalong, I’ve brought together all of these experiences, finding modular construction the perfect place to apply the full breadth of my SHEQ background.

October has been a productive and rewarding month, bringing key milestones and new opportunities. We’re excited to share that we are delivering the 18 Meanwhile Homes for Havering Council and have successfully secured several other key contracts, details of which will be shared soon.

Like many businesses, we’re ensuring that our products remain agile to meet the evolving challenges our customers face. We’re also preparing to release a specific solution targeted at SEND provision, which we look forward to sharing more about.

It’s great to see a new wave of housing schemes progressing. While viability remains challenging for many projects, often linked to legacy land purchases, the demand for high-quality housing continues to drive innovation. The strategy of clustering smaller sites into wider schemes is proving effective. After speaking with peers across the modular sector, I’m confident that modular housing will truly demonstrate its value over the next six months as exciting new schemes come forward.

With many clients now focused on year-end budgets, we’re seeing the seasonal spend linked to the March 2026 deadlines and early cost planning for 2026/27 budgets crossing our desks. I remain optimistic that the modular sector is set for a strong year ahead.

November is shaping up to be another busy month, with several project handovers on the horizon and new design work commencing. We’re excited to continue sharing our progress as we innovate and grow in the modular space.

Paul Jones

Sales Director

What you see is what you get, and our latest two-storey standalone STEAM building is a perfect example. The beauty of modular construction lies in its precision and predictability, not just in cost, but also in design and delivery. From the first concept to the finished building on site, every stage aligns perfectly, ensuring our clients know exactly what to expect. As the image shows, the design and the delivered building display remarkable similarities, a true reflection of Rollalong’s commitment to quality, efficiency, and reliability in education projects. More details on this project coming soon…

Located on the Waterloo and Queen Street site, the development will see the manufacture and installation of 18 high-quality modular homes designed to provide safe, comfortable and sustainable accommodation for local families currently in temporary housing.

Corsley Heath is a development of eight high-quality modular homes delivered for Wiltshire Council using modern methods of construction. The scheme comprises a mix of six houses, as well as two fully accessible bungalows, offering both social rent and shared ownership tenures.

“We are really pleased to see the completion of eight affordable homes for local residents in Corsley. These modern, all-electric homes built using MMC (Modern Methods of Construction) are a welcome addition to our housing stock, helping to meet local housing need while supporting our sustainability goals.”

We’re proud to be part of the Newship Group, a network of 13 companies working across diverse industries. Being part of such a broad family gives us access to shared expertise, innovative ideas, and collaborative opportunities that help us grow stronger together.

Recently, our marketing teams came together for a two-day conference hosted by Tandem Consultancy. It was a great opportunity to share ideas, learn from one another, and celebrate the year’s highlights!

Delivered during the half-term, we are excited about the upcoming official opening of a new local STEAM school building, marking an important milestone in supporting innovation and education in our community.

We’ll also be on the ground at NEC Birmingham for the Schools & Academies Show on 19–20 November. If you would like to meet our education team, discuss potential partnerships, or learn more about our initiatives, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

In other news, we’ve recently been awarded a unique contract in the maritime sector. Stay tuned for further updates as we share more details about this exciting development and expand our modular building portfolio.

Partner With Us for a SEND Building at No Cost

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West Ashling – 17 Sustainable Homes

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September has flown by, and what a month it’s been! We’re excited to share that our £2 million investment in new Howick machinery and skills is already paying off, as it enables us to reduce lead time and increase flexibility for our customers.

Like many businesses, we are watching the policy changes shift demand and drive increased interest in MMC as a strong solution to address compliance and speed requirements. Like many business leaders at this time of year, I am finalising next year’s business plan with one eye on the upcoming Autumn budget and the potential impact (both positive and negative) that it may have on our pipeline and the construction sector.

As we move into October, we’re gearing up for some exciting projects to be handed over and the launch of some design starts to take place. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation and sustainability in modular building!

Steve Chivers

Managing Director

We’re proud to invest £2 million in our own future with the addition of machinery from Howick, a world leader in steel profiling. The Howick FRAMA 7800, FRAMA 7600, and a bespoke cleat-folding machine now allow us to produce all of our light-gauge steel framing in-house. This strengthens our quality control, speeds up turnaround, and gives us the flexibility to respond instantly to client changes while also enabling us to source more of our materials from the UK, supporting local supply chains and reducing lead times.

This investment reflects our commitment to continually improving our business. By working Just-In-Time, we inspect every profile for accuracy, recycle all waste, and reduce unnecessary handling. Changes can now be made whilst processing, reducing downtime and keeping projects on track. It’s more than just new machinery; it’s a step forward in building smarter, faster, and more sustainably.

The demand for specialist education is rising sharply, with more than 1.7 million pupils in England now identified as having special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), almost 94,000 more than last year. Despite this increase, the Department for Education reports a shortfall of special school places, with fewer than one in ten mainstream schools hosting a SEND unit. To tackle this, the Government has pledged £740 million to deliver thousands of new places, but the need for faster, more flexible solutions is clear.

Drawing on our extensive experience delivering SEND facilities across the UK, Rollalong is now developing a new modular SEND range. We will build this range on the same platform as our temporary housing, which we have demonstrated can be installed in just 2 hours. The range will be a pre-designed layout that can be configured into various classroom arrangements, offering flexibility to adapt to each setting’s specific needs.

The classroom will be delivered and installed on site on the same day, minimising disruption to pupils and staff. If your needs change, we can swap out the building for a more suitable layout. To ensure it fully reflects the requirements of pupils, staff, and families, we are seeking a school to host a demonstration building for six months, free of charge, which will help us refine the user experience as part of its early development.

We’re looking for a school partner to host our demonstration SEND building.

We’re taking a closer look at our West Ashling development, a flagship project in the heart of the South Downs National Park. This collection of 17 low-carbon homes was designed with sustainability at its core, featuring solar panels, air source heat pumps, EV chargers, wildflower meadows, and green roofs on bin stores to aid stormwater drainage. Together, these innovations create energy-efficient, environmentally responsible homes that respect and enhance their natural surroundings.

By using modular offsite construction, we also achieved a 39% reduction in CO₂ emissions during the build phase while minimising disruption to the local community. The result is a development that not only delivers modern, comfortable living but also sets a new benchmark for sustainable housing in protected landscapes.

“West Ashling is an outstanding rural residential scheme and perfectly aligns with our strategic objectives for scale and location. We recognised the pressing need for well-designed, modest homes in this sought-after area, and these 17 new properties will make a valuable contribution to meeting local housing demands.”

We are excited to announce that Darren has joined the Rollalong team as our new Business Development Manager. As the demand for our modular solutions continues to grow, he will focus on building relationships, creating new opportunities, and helping us deliver innovative projects to more clients across the UK. Outside of work, Darren is a respected local football referee, where he ensures that matches run smoothly and are well managed. He brings the same commitment and focus to his role at Rollalong.

Welcome to the team, Darren!

We’re proud to announce that Rollalong will be handing over a brand-new STEAM school building this October Half Term. Designed to support creative and practical learning across science, technology, engineering, arts and maths, the project showcases how modular construction can deliver spaces with minimal disruption to teaching.

As part of the wider Newship Group, we’ll be joining forces with other group companies at an upcoming marketing conference. With leading names such as Pont Europe, Jenks & Cattell, Beatson Clark, QDOS Event Hire and more in attendance, the event will provide a platform to share knowledge, strengthen collaboration, and explore new opportunities across the group.

We will also be attending UK Construction Week on 30 September – 2 October 2025 at the NEC, Birmingham, the UK’s largest built environment event. It’s a great chance for us to connect with industry peers, showcase our expertise in modular building, and highlight how we’re driving innovation in education, defence and residential construction.

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West Ashling – 17 Sustainable Homes

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The foundation of delivering high-quality projects lies in maintaining precise control over the production processes, delivery timelines, and the materials utilised. That’s why we’ve invested £2 million in advanced machinery from Howick, a global leader in steel profiling. Our new additions, the Howick FRAMA 7600 and FRAMA 7800, along with a bespoke cleat-folding machine, provide us with greater control over every stage of manufacturing for our light-gauge steel (LGS) framing.

Greater Control Over Quality and Increased Production Speed

Bringing production in-house allows us to oversee every step of the process. The FRAMA 7600 produces versatile steel framing profiles, the FRAMA 7800 creates heavy-duty floor joists, and our bespoke cleat-folding machine delivers precision components tailored to exact specifications. Every profile is checked before production begins, ensuring consistency and removing reliance on external suppliers. This level of control guarantees the quality our clients expect. Manufacturing on-site allows us to work on a Just-In-Time basis, significantly reducing lead times. Changes to designs can be actioned in minutes rather than days, keeping projects moving and avoiding unnecessary downtime. By removing delays caused by outsourcing, we can deliver faster without compromising quality.

Traceability and Local Sourcing

Why is this important? If you are working in an official, sensitive, or secret location, like many of our clients, material traceability is crucial. Having this in-house capability allows us to control the building material from the steel coil to the finished building.

Our new capabilities enable us to source more materials from within the UK, thereby enhancing traceability and strengthening local supply chains. Ensuring greater transparency for our clients and reducing our reliance on overseas suppliers enables us to deliver projects more efficiently and sustainably.

Take a look at the new machinery in action