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Homes
from
Kraków
for
London
It
is possible
that
soon
houses
manufactured
by the
BUMA
from
Kraków
will
be put
up in
the
UK capital.
London,
like
many
Polish
cities,
keeps
land
reserved
for
future
large
projects.
The
development
of some
of those
projects
is delayed,
which
causes
that
non-developed
enclaves
appear
in the
city
centre,
while
housing
industry
struggles
with
the
lack
of building
areas.
In that
situation,
the
municipal
authorities
in London
decided
to develop
such
areas
with
residential
buildings
that
can
later
be relocated
to another
place,
if the
need
arises.
Such
a solution
requires
a proper
technology
providing
for
building
mobility.
After
a long
search
in the
UK and
beyond,
the
London
authorities
identified
two
companies
that
employ
suitable
technologies,
one
in Japan
and
another
in Kraków,
Poland.
Following
a thorough
examination
of both
technologies,
the
modular
building
solution
offered
by the
BUMA
from
Kraków
was
selected.
A single-family
house
constructed
under
that
technology
was
relocated
three
times
and
travelled
some
1,200
kilometres
all
over
Poland.
This
time,
at stake
are
multi-storey
buildings
finished
with
various
elevations
that
do not
differ
from
regular
residential
buildings,
while
providing
high
standard
of living.
After
10 years
(and
that
is the
period
of the
building
permit
for
the
first
plot
of land
in London),
it will
be possible
to disassemble
the
buildings
and
relocate
them
to another
place
to be
erected
there.
The
representatives
of house-building
companies,
the
Hyde
Housing
Group
and
the
Southern
Housing
Trust,
came
to Kraków
to finalise
the
transaction
and
study
thoroughly
the
technology.
They
were
accompanied
by architects
from
the
London-based
office
of PCKO
Architects
who
had
prepared
the
design.
PCKO
initiated
contacts
between
the
BUMA
and
the
British
client.
The
delegation
also
included
representatives
of London
authorities
and
the
ROC-Llewellyn,
the
future
General
Contractor
(as
obtaining
the
work
permit
for
a Polish
company
in Great
Britain
prior
to Poland’s
joining
the
European
Union
would
greatly
extend
the
project
completion
period).
The
guests
visited
the
Buma’s
house
factory
in Kraków,
watched
various
phases
of constructing
the
building
modules
for
other
investors,
and
highly
appreciated
the
technology
and
quality
of work
in progress
and
solutions
applied.
At the
same
time,
they
raised
additional
requirements
concerning
electrical
fixtures
that
must
be adjusted
to the
household
appliances
used
in the
UK,
the
requirements
concerning
the
compliance
with
British
Standards,
as well
as diversification
of elevation
finishing
materials.
Detailed
negotiations
made
it possible
to specify
the
conditions
of the
contract
which
is likely
to be
signed
soon.
In
that
way,
the
Kraków
company
will
be able
to ensure
for
itself
a sale
market
and
survival
in the
period
of deep
crisis
in the
domestic
construction
industry,
while
Polish
know-how
will
be disseminated
in the
EU countries.
"So
far,
I have
not
met
similar
building
solutions
either
in our
country,
or abroad,"
said
Mr.
Dave
Shiress,
a local
government
member
from
London
who
is responsible
for
housing.
"I
believe
that
when
the
first
contract
is implemented
successfully,
as we
have
to consider
some
difficulties
in transporting
those
buildings
in parts,
both
by land
and
sea,
London
authorities
will
be willing
to develop
co-operation
in that
field
since
there
are
many
similar
areas
in London,
which
are
temporarily
available
for
housing
purposes."
Healing
the
Wounds
It
is a
conviction
on the
part
of an
average
Pole
that
such
elementary
needs
as housing
have
already
been
satisfied
in Western
Europe.
Meanwhile,
Londoners
buy
ready-made
houses
in Kraków
to have
them
put
up as
soon
as possible
in their
city.
So,
what
is true?
Mr.
Dale
Meredith,
Director
of the
Southern
Housing
Group:
"In
fact,
Londoners
face
similar
problems
as other
people
do.
Children
grow
up,
new
families
are
established
and
new
flats
are
needed.
That
is supplemented
by people
coming
to the
Great
Britain
as immigrants,
or political
and
economic
refugees,
who
believe
that
staying
in our
country
presents
a unique
chance
to them.
They
also
need
new
flats,
the
more
so,
as the
majority
of them
travel
directly
to London."
What
is the
range
of the
issue
and
do you
have
social
housing
in England?
"Annually,
some
28,000
new
flats
are
needed
in London.
That
is not
always
the
issue
of people
who
have
no place
to stay.
Usually,
the
problem
concerns
all
those
who
want
to change
the
flat
they
own
for
another
one
with
a higher
standard,
or smaller
or larger,
or better
located
in respect
of their
work
place.
And
we do
have
social
housing.
Local
governments
in Great
Britain
own
ca.
31%
of the
housing
stock.
Another
10%
of flats
are
owned
by Building
Associations.
The
majority
of new
buildings
are
put
up by
those
Associations.
However,
that
does
not
satisfy
all
housing
needs
in our
country."
Why
the
idea
to import
new
buildings
from
as distant
a place
as Poland?
"It
results
from
local
conditions
and
city
growth
plans
which
block
the
development
of certain
areas.
Such
a phenomenon
causes
that
more
and
more
new
buildings
are
pushed
to the
city
limits,
while
undeveloped
areas
remain
in the
city
centre,
and
those
empty
places
distort
the
overall
image
and
often
turn
to become
illegal
dumping
yards.
Hence,
the
idea
to construct,
perhaps
as an
experiment
at the
moment,
8 to
10 buildings
in southern
London,
with
the
intention
to relocate
them
to another
place
if the
need
be.
We consider
this
project
to be
a pilot
one
in order
to be
able
to construct
more
such
buildings
in the
future,
based
on the
experience
gained.
To me,
this
is a
revelation
technology,
being
capable
of satisfying
our
specific
housing
needs.
If it
proves
that
the
co-operation
is satisfactory
to both
sides,
especially
in respect
of costs,
I believe
it can
be continued
for
many
years
as there
are
many
places
in London
where
something
has
to be
constructed
but
it is
not
known
when,
and
the
Buma’s
technology
makes
it possible
to heal
those
wounds
of the
urban
body
of our
city."
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