Lovell appoints specialist modern methods of construction firm Mansell to help deliver a £20m housing scheme in north Liverpool comprising 27 apartments. Tony McDonough reports
Modern methods of construction (MMC) specialist Mansell Building Solutions (MBS) has secured a contract to work on a £20m housing scheme in north Liverpool.
Main contractor Lovell has appointed MBS on the project for which is part of the wider Stonedale Regeneration Project in Croxteth being delivered for housing association Cobalt Housing. It will comprise 27 apartments in a single four-storey block.
It is a key component of the Stonedale Regeneration Project masterplan, which aims to replace outdated housing stock with modern, energy-efficient homes.
MMC focuses on building homes, or elements of homes, in a factory and installing them on site. MBS will deliver panelised light gauge steel framing using its factory-first, off-site manufacturing capability.
Work includes the delivery of a Voestalpine Metsec structural frame, alongside fully finished internal structures incorporating drylining and fire stopping.
By shifting critical construction stages into a controlled factory environment, the approach reduces reliance on on-site labour, improves build consistency and supports a more predictable delivery programme.
Martin Lynch, head of commercial at MBS, said: “Regeneration projects such as Stonedale demand a delivery approach that prioritises certainty from the outset.
“Our factory-first model allows key design and construction decisions to be locked in early, reducing risk and supporting a safer, more predictable build process on site.
“This project is a strong example of how MMC can support the delivery of high-quality, affordable homes within established communities.”
This is the first collaboration between Lovell and MBS. Tahreen Shad, regional partnerships director at Lovell, added: “The Stonedale regeneration is an important investment in the future of the Croxteth community, delivering much-needed affordable homes.
“Appointing a specialist MMC contractor such as Mansell supports our focus on build quality, programme certainty and safe delivery. We are pleased to be working with Mansell on this scheme and look forward to developing a strong collaborative relationship.”
Pauline Allen, development manager at Cobalt, also said: “As part of our commitment to delivering high-quality, future-ready homes, our team visited MBS’s MMC factory in Chadderton to see their factory-first processes first hand.
“Understanding how the light gauge steel frames are designed, manufactured and quality-checked in a controlled environment gave us real confidence in the approach being taken at Stonedale.”