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O'Keefe Construction (Byrne Group) prepped to prepare pioneering housing project

Fairbridge Way groundworks by O'Keefe Construction (Byrne Group) will set off partnership deal between ilke Homes and Places for People.

O'Keefe Construction (Byrne Group) has won a £12 million contract to prepare a remediated sewage treatment plant in Burgess Hill, Mid Sussex, for a pioneering two-development project for the UK's leading modular house builder ilke Homes and leading affordable homes placemaker, Places for People.

The development, named Abbeville Park, includes a range of apartments and a mix of two, three and four-bedroom properties, all of which will be managed by Places for People. The houses will be constructed using Modern Methods of Construction, and all the homes built will provide much-needed affordable homes for rent and for sale through Shared Ownership.

Of the 307 homes being delivered, 219 will be manufactured offsite by ilke Homes. The company harnesses artificial intelligence, robotics and digital design to create homes that are high-quality and energy-efficient, helping to keep residents' bills down at a time when household costs are increasing.

O'Keefe Construction (Byrne Group) will deliver bulk excavation, secondary infrastructure works, plot works and hard landscaping across a 24-month programme, using in-house digital technology to communicate built information to ilke Homes' 250,000 sq ft factory in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

Delivering more affordable homes in Sussex is vital, with housing prices rising 19% from their 2019 peak, reaching £421,499 according to Rightmove.

Steve Peters, managing director at Places for People Developments South East, said: "Places for People is delighted to continue its partnering relationship with ilke Homes on what will be a successful and attractive development.

"The delivery of this development in Burgess Hill forms an integral part of Places for People's strategy to deliver increasing numbers of high-quality affordable homes which provide choice and meet people's needs. Working alongside partners such as Ilke Homes allows us to combine expertise and supports our aim of creating well designed, sustainable mixed-tenure communities."

Derek Gilburt of O'Keefe Construction (Byrne Group), said: "Modular construction is fast gaining traction in the mainstream residential market as a solution to the UK's housing needs. Far quicker than traditional build and virtually defect free, the advantages of a factory build are numerous. To translate this into progress at site requires a civils contractor who understands factory build and can produce site works to an above average standard."

Tom Heathcote, executive director of development at ilke Homes, said: "Once complete, Abbeville Park will deliver a well-designed, sustainable, mix-tenure community that will provide residents with precision built quality homes, open space and strong links to the town centre. We are very excited to deliver this brownfield regeneration scheme in partnership with Places for People and O'Keefe Construction, and look forward to collaborating on future projects."

ENDS

Notes to editors

About ilke Homes

ilke Homes is a modular housing company helping to tackle the UK's growing housing shortage by manufacturing and delivering high-quality, energy-efficient homes in half the time of traditional methods. The company works closely with local authorities, housing associations and developers across the UK to deliver housing for a mix of tenures. In 2019, the company entered into a strategic partnership with Places for People, the largest deal yet for Britain's modular housing sector and received a £30m investment from the government's housing agency, Homes England. www.ilkehomes.co.uk

The benefits of offsite manufacturing - where homes are created in factories - include:

• Quality: The precision-engineering techniques employed in the factory mean that the finish of every home is to an exceptional standard and with no snagging issues
• Sustainability: All of ilke's homes achieve the highest EPC ratings, either an ‘A' or ‘B', avoiding the need for costly retrofitting programmes later down the line once new building regulation come into force post-2025
• Design: State-of-the-art technology allows ilke Homes to offer a range of different designs which can be customised to meet individual buyer needs, as well as a range of facades that allow a home to react to local vernacular
• Speed: Short and certain construction programmes mean homes are delivered in half the time of traditional methods, helping to speed up the delivery of much-needed housing for the local community
• Disruption: By completing the construction process offsite, disruption to residents and local businesses is minimised significantly due to less lorry movements, dust and noise in factories