Yorkon News Archives

29/11/2002 – Pioneering factory-built housing scheme wins RICS award

The first factory-built multi-storey affordable housing scheme outside London has won a Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors regional award 2002 for Design and Innovation.

Developed by the Yorkshire Housing Group in partnership with City of York Council, the Sixth Avenue Apartments were manufactured in York by Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, and designed by Cartwright Pickard Architects. The homes are managed by Ryedale Housing Association, a member of the Yorkshire Housing Group.

The apartments were craned onto pre-prepared foundations on a brownfield site in just a few days, complete with bathrooms, kitchens, plumbing, heating, doors and windows.

By employing a more innovative approach to construction and a partnering arrangement, the development programme for the Sixth Avenue Apartments was halved. From inception to completion, the total programme took less than 15 months, helping to address the serious shortfall in the number of affordable homes in York.

The four-storey £2m development comprises 24 high quality apartments providing a mix of 3, 2 and 1 bedroom homes. The apartments have a mixed community of families, single people, couples and the elderly. The exterior is finished in western red cedar and terracotta cladding, and each apartment has the benefit of a generous timber-decked balcony or private garden area. There is also a secure landscaped courtyard with BBQ area, cycle storage facility and car parking.

Peter Atkinson, Group Property Director of Yorkshire Housing, said, "Yorkshire Housing is keen to seek innovative and positive housing solutions such as this, as part of a diverse yet balanced development programme. In this case, we worked well with our partners to deliver a bold and attractive scheme that is helping to meet the housing needs of York, and we are now looking at a number of other modular projects as part of our ongoing commitment to innovation."

"This pioneering scheme illustrates the benefits of building off-site, a genuine partnership approach and contemporary architectural design", said Keith Blanshard, Director and General Manager of Yorkon. "The award from the RICS is further evidence of the team's success, and in particular, the vision of the client."

James Pickard, Project Director of Cartwright Pickard Architects, said, "Our aim was to create a community of attractive, spacious homes, which give residents the benefit of low running costs and features such as a sunny and secure landscaped courtyard. The exterior is designed to reflect the more innovative nature of the building's construction. It uses new and interesting alternatives to conventional brickwork that enhance the building's appearance and were faster to install."

For further information on the pioneering Sixth Avenue Apartments project, visit http://www.yorkon.co.uk/news-archives.dc/37. The website features an archive of photographs of the scheme's construction.

Editors' Notes

1. Modular construction involves the manufacture and fitting out of a building in a controlled factory environment, while the foundations are progressed on site. The modules are delivered to site by road where they are craned into position. The benefits include:

work on site is safer, quieter and cleaner
programme times are reduced by up to 50 per cent
costs are controlled
quality is guaranteed
disruption to the local community is minimised
earlier occupation is possible
construction is not affected by adverse weather conditions.

2. 48 11-tonne steel-framed modules were manufactured by Yorkon for the Sixth Avenue scheme. These were craned into position in just a few days in preparation for installation of the red cedar cladding, the timber-decked balconies and the lift and stair tower.

3. The Sixth Avenue Apartments project uses the highly successful, award-winning Yorkon/Cartwright Pickard team who were responsible for the acclaimed Murray Grove housing scheme in London.

4. There is a major shortage of affordable housing in York. The average house price in the city is £105,000, which would require income of £30,000 pa in order to obtain a mortgage.

5. The Sixth Avenue scheme was also the only housing development to be shortlisted for a British Construction Industry Award 2002.