In response to a call by the UK government for accelerated solutions that address supply-side shortages in social housing, AtkinsRéalis business EDAROTH (Everybody Deserves a Roof Over Their Head) has welcomed Matthew Pennycook to its off-site manufacturing facility in Bradford.
EDAROTH showcased production methods that deliver housebuilding capacity at scale, alongside the promise of new jobs and investment opportunities.
During the visit, Pennycook discussed the company's pioneering approach to delivering sustainable, net zero housing in approximately half the time taken by traditional methods - as well as EDAROTH's role in driving local growth through the local supply chain.
The minister additionally learnt how a new plan to scale delivery will drive production from 120 homes annually (the factory's current operating capacity), to over 2,500 semi-finished units annually, and improve access to a pipeline of development opportunities while creating 500 jobs - including up to 40 apprenticeships, locally.
EDAROTH uses off-site construction methods to provide new homes at pace and scale, to help local authorities and housing associations meet their housing challenges and reduce the number of families in temporary accommodation.
The visit came after the government announced its intention to get more spades in the ground through its Plan for Change, and the minister heard how EDAROTH and AtkinsRéalis have supported the development of the innovative Small Site Aggregator to identify land suitable for development.
The government has confirmed it will pilot the aggregator working with three local authorities to develop sites which are difficult for traditional house builders, such as brownfield and neglected urban areas, to deliver new social housing using MMC and SME developers.
Factory-based manufacturing methods also ensure the development of homes is more reliable as production is less impacted by adverse weather conditions.
We support the government’s approach to housing policy and reform to the planning system but, it’s imperative these changes are implemented as soon as possible in order to create the pipeline for the game-changing programmes including planned new towns...
In addition, the environmental impact on site is greatly reduced as assembly time is much faster with less disturbance for people living close to the site.
The company's Bradford factory which is operated by Cardinal Logistics, produces high-performance components that form the backbone of EDAROTH’s energy-efficient homes.
The company's Bradford factory which is operated by Cardinal Logistics, produces high-performance components that form the backbone of EDAROTH's energy-efficient homes. New homes are currently going up on live sites including Epsom and Bristol with the factory facility prepared to increase output significantly to meet the demand for thousands of homes to support the government's target of 1.5 million by 2029.
Mark Powell, managing director of EDAROTH, tells FM Magazine: “The government is actively encouraging disruptors in the housing market to demonstrate a model that increases production at pace and scale, and we were able to show the housing minister a deliverable solution that does exactly that to provide additive capacity nationally, as well as local jobs and investment for this part of West Yorkshire.
“We support the government’s approach to housing policy and reform to the planning system but, it’s imperative these changes are implemented as soon as possible in order to create the pipeline for the game-changing programmes including planned new towns, where the EDAROTH model can be rolled out quickly to deliver the social and affordable housing the country needs.”
David Newlove, operations director at Cardinal, adds: “Working with EDAROTH in this way has enabled us to develop new markets in the housing sector, which has provided an important boost to our business.
“We were pleased to be able to demonstrate to the housing minister that our Bradford factory is well-placed to support the renewed focus on getting Britain building, and we’re ready to increase production with the potential for new jobs and investment that brings.”
