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New-style
prefabs
rent
at £100
a week
By
Mira
Bar-Hillel
Building
a new
home
in London
is a
dream
usually
only
accessible
to the
ultra-rich.
But
these
“des
res”
properties
are
promising
to solve
the
plight
of even
the
lowest-paid
teachers
and
nurses
–
and
they
can
be built
from
scratch
in only
four
days.
The
"modular
housing
units",
loosely
based
on Forties
prefab
designs,
are
the
latest
weapon
in the
fight
to solve
London’s
housing
crisis.
The
plasterboard
and
steel
shells
are
made
in Poland
and
shipped
to Britain.
Eight
have
been
built
in south
London
over
the
past
few
days
and
50 more
are
planned
for
the
capital
in the
coming
months.
They
cost
£40,000
each
to create
and
put
up,
and
will
be rented
out
at between
£100
and
£150
per
week
–
a fraction
of the
csts
of conventional
housing
schemes.
"This
is a
modern
design,
built
to the
highest
quality,
using
up-to-date
technology",
said
a spokesman
for
the
Hyde
Housing
Association
behind
the
initiative.
“They
are
designed
to last
at least
60 years".
He
added:
“Taking
site
preparation,
foundations
and
landscaping
into
account,
they
take
a quarter
of the
time
of traditional
build.
We’re
hoping
to build
more,
not
just
to rent
but
part-buy,
part-rent,
and
outright
sale”.
The
one-
and
two-bedroom
flats
feature
Ikea
kitchens
and
modern
bathroom
fittings
and
are
said
to be
larger
than
the
average
private
sector
flat
by about
100
square
feet.
Tenants
for
the
first
eight
–
in the
Hyde
group’s
"urban-chic"
development
at Barling
Court
in Stockwell
–
are
expected
to move
in by
the
end
of next
month.
"This
is housing
being
provided
for
key
sector
workers
who
desperately
need
accommodation
now
and
could
not
otherwise
afford
to buy
or rent
their
home",
added
the
spokesman.
As
soon
as the
shells
arrive,
along
with
specialist
lifting
gear
from
Poland,
the
modules
are
hauled
into
place.
The
ground
floor
is completed
by the
end
of day
one.
On
day
two,
the
first
floor
is lifted
and
drains
and
water
connected.
The
second
floor
is fixed
on day
three,
all
joins
completed
and
work-men
then
lifted
by “cherry
picker”
cranes
to complete
the
exteriors.
On
day
four,
the
third
floor
and
roof
are
attached.
Job
finished.
Housing
minister
Keith
Hill
said:”We
want
to build
more
homes,
in less
time
and
higher
design
standards.
Schemes
such
as Barling
Court
are
helping
us meet
these
goals”.
“It
was
getting
frantic”
by
Alexa
Baracaia
TARA
TURNER
is about
to begin
her
first
teaching
job,
at Christchurch
Primary
School
in Brixton.
The
23-year-old
had
been
desperately
seeking
a place
to live,
until
she
found
the
Barling
Court
flats.
And,
on first
sight
she
was
more
than
impressed
with
the
results
–
as well
as the
cost.
“I
was
getting
a bit
frantic”,
said
the
Exeter
University
graduate.
“I
looked
around
and
it was
great
–
brand
new,
clean,
in a
nice
area
near
the
school.
In London,
prices
are
so high
I was
envisaging
a struggle
to find
a decent
place
to live
at an
affordable
price”.
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