Leading developer McCarthy Stone has proven MMC can be used to successfully deliver nine retirement communities and has begun work on the tenth
Since 2021, McCarthy Stone has used Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to deliver nine retirement communities. Once the tenth development is complete, 473 specialist retirement properties will be available, with more MMC schemes planned.
The successful implementation of MMC demonstrates how some of the issues raised by the chair of the Built Environment Committee to the Government on how the UK has so far failed to build MMC homes in meaningful numbers can be overcome.
Offsite methods have been used for swift and sustainable construction
McCarthy Stone has a partnership with panelised structural steel frames manufacturer Remagin (formely Sigmat).
Using Remagin’s eco-friendly Light Gauge Steel Frame (LGSF) MMC solution, where the panels are built in a factory and then assembled on-site, helping it to build faster, greener and more affordably.
McCarthy Stone and Remagin have also evolved their approach, with windows, external doors and external insulation now also fitted in the factory, further reducing risks and delays.
Scott Bibby, country manager for Ireland & UK at Remagin, said: “Despite recent adverse media publicity about MMC, Remagin’s partnership with McCarthy Stone proves that, with the right collaborative approach, MMC is still very much a solution to the challenges of today’s housing market.
“Through partnering together, we have been able to develop and fine-tune a highly energy-efficient product which delivers speed, quality and consistency of build, whilst also addressing cost and affordability concerns. The future of our partnership looks exciting.”
Future developments will also progressively incorporate a streamlined closed panel solution to maximise the benefits of MMC.
More recent MMC schemes have saved around 20% in build time
Three schemes are already complete and open. Four more will complete by the end of this year and a further three will start shortly.
The first scheme, in Hexham, opened in 2021 and was delivered significantly faster than traditionally constructed sites, saving around 15% in time despite adverse weather conditions, and was completed with half the number of defects expected to be found on a traditional scheme.
Peter Forsyth, director of strategic initiatives at McCarthy Stone, said:
“We’ve had plenty of success with MMC at McCarthy Stone thanks to our partnership with Remagin. MMC is helping us to further increase our build quality, control our costs, and most importantly, build more energy-efficient and greener communities. Our focused approach to MMC and our secure pipeline of consented land means we have found the right formula to enable us to use it to accelerate housing delivery. MMC is now becoming a key component of our development pipeline.”
MMC could be instrumental in reaching targets in both later living and social housing
McCarthy Stone has also written to the housing minister to note how the use of MMC could be deployed successfully across the later living sector, including setting specific targets, aggregating demand, aligning supplier solutions by using a standard ‘chassis’ approach, and investing in qualification and regulation frameworks to create simple standards and approval processes.
McCarthy Stone currently has 40 new retirement communities under construction and is selling across a total of c.100 developments in England and Wales.
