THE largest modular low-rise, affordable housing development in Scotland has been completed within budget and 18 weeks ahead of schedule.
The £17 million 101-home project was delivered by Connect Modular for Cunninghame Housing Association with the support of East Ayrshire Council and funding from The Scottish Government.
The programme was originally scheduled for 122 weeks. Refinement in Connect Modular’s offsite manufacturing processes has achieved delivery in only 104 weeks, with tenants moving in, in stages, from week 50.
The development at Shortlees is said to be testament to the advantages of modular construction. Connect Modular revealed it has ‘significantly minimised’ the construction timeline while ensuring the ‘highest standards of quality and craftsmanship’.
“We are proud to have completed this development for Cunninghame Housing Association at Shortlees, Kilmarnock, significantly ahead of schedule, and to have provided 101 families with new high-quality, affordable homes. This achievement really highlights the efficiency and excellence of modular construction,” said Jennifer Higgins, CEO of Connect Modular.
“Cunninghame, TCS Construction Consultants and Connect Modular collaborated well as a team, showing dedication to meeting the housing needs of communities in a timely and impactful manner.”
Linda Anderson, interim group CEO for Cunningame Housing Association, added, “Our experience working with Connect Modular to deliver these fantastic new homes has been hugely positive. We feel privileged to have delivered these much-needed homes within an area of Kilmarnock which has a very healthy demand for new affordable housing. Feedback from our tenants has been incredibly positive, particularly in relation to the quality and standard of finish, the spacious and bright layout of the houses and excellent storage throughout.
“The Association would not have been able to deliver this new development without the support of the Scottish Government and East Ayrshire Council who allocated significant funding to allow the project to proceed. We have created a wonderful new estate in this area of Kilmarnock and demonstrated what can be achieved through effective partnership working.”
New Shortlees resident Sarah Walker stated, “Our lives have been completely transformed since moving into our new home. As both myself and my daughter are wheelchair users, our previous property presented numerous challenges with its limited space.
“Our new amenity bungalow has been a game-changer. The design is perfect, offering generous space both inside and outside, which allows easy manoeuvrability for our wheelchairs. Since settling in, we have also noticed a significant reduction in our electricity bills, which is great!
“It’s incredible to think that we received a phone call in late June last year, offering us one of these bungalows, even though the construction had not yet commenced. Thanks to the impressive efficiency of the construction process, we were able to move into our new home on August 19th, just a short time later.”
