The Housing Minister has committed to supporting the use of prefabricated homes to help address Jersey's housing crisis.
Deputy David Warr has published a report on Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), and what can be done to support new and faster ways of building.
The work was requested by Chief Minister Deputy Kristina Moore as part of the new government's 100 Day Plan.
MMC is used to described building processes where, for example, parts are made in a factory and assembled on site.
The report looks at examples of MMC that have been used here up to now and what can be done to expand upon that and embrace new opportunities.
Promised acctions to support innovation include making sure factory assembly supplies could be shipped in and moved around the island, and a design advice service for complying with planning rules.
Whilst it's recognised 'flatpack' homes would deliver more accommodation more quickly, there are obstacles - such as the port already close to capacity for cargo. Deputy Warr says transformation plans for the St Helier harbour should address that.
He says offsite production avoids delays caused by bad weather or worker shortages.
"Our problem at the moment is finding sufficient numbers of individuals to do the jobs.
We have just seen this with the Horizon development (on the Waterfront) whereby those sites have been delayed coming forward onto market because there's simply insufficient labour to complete the jobs."
It's hoped that both the private sector and Andium Homes can work together to share ideas on potential developments deploying MMC.
“I want government to work closely with the sector on MMC. The industry is already embracing new technology and there is an opportunity for Jersey to be right at the forefront of construction innovation, to help us provide the housing we desperately need. This is about efficiency, working collaboratively, and delivering well-designed and good-quality homes at a greater pace.”
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