Rogers' £30k flatpack homes open

A scheme to build a number of flatpack homes in south London designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners has been formally opened by planning minister Brandon Lewis.

The YMCA, the charity spearheading the initiative, has already said that it is planning on building more of the £30,000 homes in the capital which it is hoping will help solve London’s housing shortage.

Called the Y:Cube, the homes are built off-site using materials from products supplier SIG and craned into place. As well as a bedroom, they come with a living room, bathroom and kitchen and have a lifespan of 60 years.

The first 36 homes have been installed at Clay Avenue in Mitcham and have been designed for people leaving homelessness hostels and supported housing schemes. The apartments are being rented out at 65 per cent of the market rate in the area.

Ivan Harbour, who has been spearheading the initiative for RSHP, said: “By delivering high-quality accommodation using quick and cost-effective volumetric technology, we hope to offer a new model for house building in the future.”

The units were all built off-site in Derbyshire before being transported down to London. Construction on the three-storey site started in March and the last home was completed towards the end of last month.

The initiative has been given a £337,000 by the mayor’s office and its deputy for housing and land Richard Blakeway said it was pushing to roll out more across the city.