Press release

Leeds gets building as construction corridor continues to forge path across North of England

Housing Minister Esther McVey visits Legal & General Modular factory in Leeds.

From:
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (2018 to 2021) and The Rt Hon Esther McVey MP
Published
16 January 2020
This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government
image showing modern methods of construction
  • Housing Minister Esther McVey visits Leeds factory set to create over 400 jobs in the production of modern, green homes – bringing a skills revolution to the local area
  • Cutting-edge jobs from manufacturing engineers to architectural technologists to set Leeds locals ahead in race for jobs of the future
  • Factory set to deliver over 3,000 homes a year to the local area – bringing greener, cheaper and safer homes that are good for the planet and for the pocket

Over 400 jobs for local people will be created in the construction of high quality, modern homes as Leeds forges ahead in getting Britain building, Housing Minister Esther McVey hailed today (16 January 2020).

The Minister visited the Legal & General Modular Factory in Leeds – the largest of its type in Europe – which will produce over 3,500 homes a year once fully operational, as well as create hundreds of jobs in new technologies.

Today’s visit is the latest step in the government’s drive to make the North of England the world-leader in the creation of modern, green homes – creating the ‘Construction Corridor’ that runs from Leeds to Liverpool.

Modern Methods of Construction are revolutionising house building today by using cutting-edge technologies to deliver much needed homes that are greener, safer and cheaper.

These new housebuilding techniques, in which homes are manufactured offsite and assembled onsite, allow homes to be built in days instead of months. They can also have up to 80% fewer defects and reduce heating bills by up to 70%.

During her visit, the Housing Minister met with apprentices at the Legal & General Modular Academy, who are learning vital new skills in modern methods of construction to deliver high quality, green homes.

Housing Minister Esther McVey said:

I want the UK to become the world leader in modular homes within the next 10 years, with safety, quality and choice at its heart.

Homes built using modern methods can be of higher quality, greener and built to last.

With our emphasis on safety, quality and beauty, the North of England could be the global leader in modern methods of construction.

Today’s announcement shows Leeds is wasting no time in investing in new technology and getting Britain building.

Rosie Toogood, CEO of Legal & General Modular Homes said:

What we are doing at Legal & General Modular Homes is ground breaking.  We have taken a high-tech engineering approach to developing our product range, designing and manufacturing homes in a truly innovative way that will transform the way homes are built in the UK. 

As a Group, Legal & General takes a holistic view on the built environment. We are delivering economic and social solutions for towns and cities through regional regeneration. We believe Modular Manufacturing is vital to delivering much needed homes, alongside supporting new skilled jobs and productivity growth for the UK.

Today’s investment builds on an announcement last year by the Housing Minister that government wants to create a centre of excellence in the North for Modern Methods of Construction to help speed-up house building to meet its target of 300,000 new homes being delivered each year by the mid-2020s.

In November, the government announced a £30 million boost for ilke Homes, a top UK housebuilder using modern methods, which will boost production at the Yorkshire factory to 5,000 homes a year.

Construction and real estate expert, Mark Farmer, has also been appointed as the government’s Champion for Modern Methods of Construction, as part of a drive to make the UK the global leader in housing standards.

Benefits of Modern Methods of Construction include:

  • Quality and safety – homes built using modern methods can have up to 80% fewer defects
  • Reduced carbon footprint – homes have the potential to contribute significantly to the reduction of carbon emissions, through greater precision in the manufacturing process leading to more energy-efficient homes and reduced construction waste
  • Speed – homes are manufactured offsite with less disruption than onsite construction
  • Skills – production lines enable companies to take apprentices and train them on specific tasks irrespective of their backgrounds

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Updates to this page

Published 16 January 2020

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