As part of our work with Make UK Modular, along with other industry key players, we have collaboratively contributed evidence and progressed our efforts with Government and the Built Environment. Specifically, to raise and protect the interest of MMC Cat1, resulting in an 18 page letter of recommendations following the house of lord’s inquiry into MMC in the housing sector being sent on the 26th January 2024.
The letter itself was sent directly from The House of Lords; Lord Moylan, Chair of the built environment Committee, to the Secretary of State for Levelling up; Michael Gove, recording and relaying the findings. One of the leading issues being here is that the Government is facing huge criticism over housing in this election year, and Cat 1 modular is getting caught in the cross fire.
The detail we feel overall is welcomed and seems to reinforce the recommendations we have made to His Majesty’s Government over the course of past months. Some detail was given in the letter to an inaccurate comment on the cost of Cat 1, which we as industry experts had refuted, but otherwise positive.
As mentioned, the letter was 18 pages long, so for those of you who are just interested in the highlights, please cast your eyes over the below, kindly reflected on and condensed by our Director of New Business, Anthony Broome:
The highlights from the letter are:
- There are questions asked around Government Strategy and transparency – several pointers to where government could and should have provided fuller information.
- There are significant mentions around the much delayed Future Homes Standard, the MMC taskforce and the way that AHP works, this focusses on three areas that we have made recommendations to Government over the course of the past year; the fabric of buildings delivering a better and more sustainable product, the reallocation of the MMC Taskforce funds (prior to October MUKM Board meeting), and reforming the way that AHP works in future.
- There is good emphasis throughout the report on the evidence provided by Make UK Modular and its members.
- Criticism is not aimed at the sector, quite the contrary the conclusion to the report welcomed HMG’s wish to use Modern Methods of Construction while mooting the notion of excluding lower categories from AHP calculations. There is, however, criticism of the approach taken to date and some things we might want to be careful of in comments.
- There is an open acknowledgement of the real possibility of barriers to Cat. 1 through ‘undue risk aversion from warranty providers’ and ‘a form of resistance’ by planning officers.
You can read Make UK Modulars statement HERE