COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

The homes are being built in a factory in Dudley before being transported to the city



A development of modular houses said to cost £1.48 a day to run is coming to Coventry.

The multi-million-pound project will bring 'ready made' houses to the city as part of a scheme from social housing provider Citizen.

The scheme, which aims to tackle the housing shortage in the city, will provide 24 homes on former garage sites in Coventry.

The homes are being built in the Totally Modular factory in Cradley Heath, near Dudley, and will be transported across to the various sites in Coventry by lorry.

Totally Modular are working with Homes England and Coventry City Council to deliver the development.

Citizen have said this next wave of modular housing has been brought to Coventry because of the success of the first development, based in Willenhall.

The homes remain under construction and will be ready at the start of next year.

Once the houses have been built at the Totally Modular factory in the Black Country, they will be transported across to the various sites in Coventry by lorry.

The homes, a mix of bungalows and four-bed houses, will then be craned into place.

They will be erected on ex-garage sites across the city at: Wedon Close, Bradney Green, Coleman Street, Fletchamstead Highway, Attoxhall Road, Capmartin Road, Shepherd Close and Thimbler Road.

Modular homes craned into place on former Coventry garage site



Modular homes have been craned into place in Coventry as part of a pilot project. The scheme will see 24 homes built on eight garage sites across the city.

Housing association Citizen is working on the development with Modpods International and Coventry City Council. Ten of the homes - the last of the pilot properties - have now been installed at Wedon Close.

The remaining 16 have been installed at: Bradney Green, Coleman Street, Fletchamstead Highway, Attoxhall Road, Capmartin Road, Shepherd Close and Thimbler Road. The homes are a mix of bungalows and family houses.

Once the homes have been craned into place they are then connected to power supplies. They are due to be finished and ready for their new occupants early in the autumn.

Modular homes are two-thirds of the cost of building a traditional home, according to the firm behind the designs. The scheme is designed to tackle a shortage of housing in Coventry and make use of brownfield sites.

Director of development at Citizen Richard Whittaker said: “Our modular homes have been craned into place at Wedon Close and it’s great to see them finished after watching them being built in the factory. We’re really pleased to have installed several homes on this single ex-garage site.

"There are so many benefits to modular homes. These will be A rated meaning higher energy efficiency and lower energy bills compared to a traditional home.

“At Citizen we have an ambitious development programme to meet the ever-increasing need for homes in the region, and we have a particular focus on building quality and affordable homes. We’re looking forward to welcoming our customers into the homes at Wedon Close when they have been completed.”

Managing director at ModPods International Andy Cornaby said: “It’s great to be working with Citizen on this scheme to provide homes for people across Coventry. ModPods International offers comfortable and affordable homes at two thirds of the cost of traditionally built homes. They are built with robust steel frame structures, are insulated and compliant to meet building and fire regulations.

“We’re looking forward to finishing the site at Wedon so the Citizen customers can move in.”

Councillor David Welsh, cabinet member for housing and communities at Coventry City Council, added: “We are providing more homes that are much needed in Coventry and it’s good to see 24 homes across garage sites in Coventry. We need larger family homes and homes for older people to downsize into.

"There is a massive need in Coventry. These modular buildings are among the most energy efficient in the country and leave very little waste in their manufacture. It means that when tenants move in their energy bills will be lower too.

“Modular homes are one approach and is an efficient way of bringing brownfield sites back into use."