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KEITH
HILL,
the
housing
minister,
this
week
topped
out
eight
key-worker
flats
that
were
in built
in south
London
but
prefabricated
in Poland.
The
two-storey
block
was
built
for
Hyde
Housing
Association
for
£700,000.
the
scheme
is part
of the
Office
of the
Deputy
Prime
Minister’s
drive
to use
prefabrication
to meet
London’s
shortage
of affordable
homes.
The
flats
were
prefabricated
in Krakow
as 18
steel-framed
volumetric
modules,
which
were
trucked
to London
and
then
bolted
into
position
in four
days.
The
use
of Polish
labour
and
materials
means
Hyde’s
scheme
promises
to bring
prefabrication
within
Housing
Corporation
budgets
for
the
first
time.
Hyde
said
the
construction
costs
were
£1260/m2
–
“at
least
12%
lower
than
traditional
new-build
and
20-30%
less
than
equivalent
modular
systems”.
The
modules
were
prefabricated
by the
Polish
company
BUMA.
The
company’s
volumetric
system
was
redesigned
for
the
British
market
by PCKO
Architects.
Alan
Conisbee
and
Associates
was
structural
engineer,
and
Walker
Management
was
quantity
surveyor.
Building
control
consultant
Butler
&
Young
checked
for
compliance
with
British
building
regulations.
Rok
was
the
main
contractor,
although
erection
was
carried
by BUMA’s
team
of 18
staff.
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