Magna's Modular Magic
10 January 2024
A house, made locally and net zero ready, arrived wrapped and almost ready to live in, on the back of four big trucks.
What better way to start the new year than with a visit to the inspiring Magna Housing in Dorset. Matthew Walker, our PlaceShapers Chair and I met with Selina White, the Chief Executive, and Christine Turner, the Chair, in the beautiful town of Dorchester.
Our members all bring something different to the network but what they have in common is their ethos, willingness to learn and share, and commitment to the communities and places where they operate. As one of our new members, I can already see how much Magna will have to contribute to PlaceShapers.
Paul Read, Christine Turner, Catherine Ryder, Matthew Walker and Selina White
One of the many impressive things about Magna is their approach to innovation, and in particular to building homes through modern methods of construction (MMC).
They have not been daunted by the challenges that can come with being an early adopter of MMC. Instead they have taken on these challenges and, by working closely with trusted manufacturers and builders, they have developed a process, product, supply chain and market that really works.
On the day we visited the weather was difficult to say the least, but it was brilliant to see the first modular homes being delivered on Royal Manor, the site of a former arts college, that Magna are developing in Portland. A house, made locally and net zero ready, arrived wrapped and almost ready to live in, on the back of four big trucks.
New modular homes are lowered into place
The partnership they’ve built with a local manufacturer and the input of their communities and asset management teams has been critical in developing homes that are warm, easy to maintain, and that people want to live in.
The knowledge and enthusiasm of Selina and Christine, and Paul Read, Magna’s Director of Sustainability and Investment, for all things MMC is infectious and we came away from the day as real converts.
Of course the housing crisis is going to take decades to fix. But the work Magna have done shows that if you have the land and planning permission, you can get homes built quickly and to a great standard. And they’ve shown it can work on smaller and larger sites.
Given the current crisis in temporary accommodation, this could be a real game changer.
Magna's modular plans for Royal Manor
Magna have got to a point where building homes with MMC looks very simple and straightforward (their words, not mine) but they have worked for years on the proof of concept and business case to get to this point. They are now committed to sharing their learning so other housing associations can benefit from their experience. Watch this space….
