Work is set to start on a new and unique development in Egremont today (MON).

Unique modular houses are set to arrive today and will become the first of their kind to be built in the region.

Royal Drive, in Egremont, will consist of 26 homes with each one being delivered and installed in the space of 24 hours.

The new development is being created by Home Group, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, in collaboration with local company Ashcroft and ilke Homes, an industry leader in offsite modular manufacturing.

David Armstrong, senior delivery manager at Home Group, said: “Seeing these modular homes arrive on the back of a large transporter will be quite a spectacle for the local community.

“Modular represents a more environmentally friendly and quicker way of creating housing, with the final product being a higher quality home for our customers.

“Thanks to being built in a controlled environment the process isn’t affected by external factors, such as bad weather, which would normally delay construction – particularly in Cumbria.

“ilke Homes bring a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge to a project like this, so we’re confident in both the houses themselves and the process by which they’re being delivered.”

Similar to how cars are built, ilke’s homes are created along a production line which allows the offsite manufacturer to cut delivery times in half and ensure quality control at various stages of the construction process.

The factory-built homes, which are due to arrive on site today, are all backed by the same NHBC Build Mark warranty that traditional homes offer.

Dave Sheridan, Executive Chairman at ilke Homes, said: "Modular is only at the beginning of its already momentous journey, but for the industry to reach new heights, partnerships must be encouraged and embraced.”

Home Group has already utilised modular in other areas of the country, including Gateshead Innovation Village where they are researching different construction types to better understand their advantages versus traditional builds.

The homes at Royal Drive will be transported from ilke Homes’ factory on the back of a heavy goods vehicle and installed in a day, minimising noise and disruption for the local community.

Once on-site, each module of the home - split into ground, first floor and second floor - is then craned into place. The house, which is already finished internally, is then connected to the groundworks and services.