MCBAINS COOPER
PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY
PRESS RELEASE
November 11, 2010.
1960S BLOCKS AND YACHT DESIGN - THE LIFELINE FOR IMMINENT BENEFIT-CUT HOMELESS.
Property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper says the building industry and private sector developers could play a crucial role in throwing a lifeline to people falling off the bottom of the housing ladder, or forced out of work, as CSR measures start to bite.
Mark Leeson, a director of McBains Cooper, says that a combination of yacht interior design technology and 60s and 70s tower blocks could play an unexpected part in keeping a roof over the head of those most likely to be affected by spending and benefit cuts.
He says that pre-assembled pods in the form of complete but compact apartments, similar in concept to bathroom and kitchen pods slotted into hotels and flats, could provide a low cost solution that could be integrated into outdated or unused tower blocks.
The pods cost a fraction of the price of a traditional ‘new build’ apartment, and the specification can be tailored at pre-assembly stage for a vast range of demographics. Shorter development completion times mean additional cost-saving, and decisions on precisely the format of the pods can be delayed by developers until last minute according to the market.
“It’s time now to look at a new model for housing, moving away from traditional one and two bedroomed apartments, and perhaps look at something akin to student accommodation where there are much smaller units in clusters, maybe pre-assembled, modularly constructed, such as the pods we’ve been developing with a number of our partners,” said Mark Leeson.
“They can slide into 60s and 70s buildings, maybe even 80s buildings, bringing them back into use, but providing accommodation tailored for those people who are now going to fall off the bottom of the housing ladder.”
He describes pre-assembled pods which are slid into existing buildings’ frames, good quality and perfectly tuned for the imminent market. As people lose income or benefits, these smaller units mean lower rental costs – but they can also help initiate and drive a sense of community.
He says that as people claw their way back up the ladder, they can rent bigger clusters of pods, or bigger pod units.
“These would be affordable for those on housing benefit as a result of their reduced size; they would benefit from a 'community' shared laundry facilities and the like, and when they start work, the rooms could be purchased on a shared ownership basis or purchased outright as a leasehold progressively allowing people to move up the property ladder,” said Mark Leeson.
“A flexible design would also allow rooms to be joined together allowing people to grow within the building, progressively owning not only a larger percentage of the space, but also a larger space overall.
“I think this is perfectly aligned with the coalition’s aim to get people into work and off benefits, but also solves the affordability issue that many will face when benefits are reduced or cut altogether.
“The challenge for the property industry is to convince the currently very conservative funding sources - institutional investors or funds – that this model will deliver a level of return that makes it worthwhile considering. This will only happen when the industry embraces modern methods of construction, and uses them in new and innovative ways.”
Ends
Further information:
Iain Macauley
07788 978800
Notes.
McBains Cooper.
McBains Cooper is an international inter-disciplinary property and construction consultancy, one of the most successful in its sector.
Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK , Europe and Latin America .
McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development, and its integrated approach means it can deliver effective, award-winning solutions to its clients.
The business is involved in professional consultancy in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering.
The group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Athens (Greece,) Lima (Peru), and Monterrey (Mexico), Mexico City and Miami, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com
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