Work starts on £10 million Cardiff social housing development

Work has started on a £10 million development of 82 units of affordable housing in Chiltern Close, Llanishen, Cardiff, funded by Wales and & West Housing and delivered by JG Hale Construction.
 
The scheme, scheduled to be completed in the autumn of 2019, is unusual in that the five blocks all involve large sections of the homes – including windows, floor and roof cassettes –all being manufactured offsite before being delivered to site as units for completion.
 
This building technique means homes can be built much more cost effectively, within tighter timescales, often with a healthier carbon footprint than developments that employ traditional building methods.
 
The homes will also use a revolutionary insulation product called TrisoWarm Hybrid Insulated Panel – whereby the whole panel is insulated within a factory environment. Developed by Hale, the product, which received approval from the BBA (British Board of Agrément) last year, has the potential to substantially reduce heating bills and construction periods.
 
The project also has other benefits; during approximately 18 months on site, JG Hale Construction anticipates that between three and four new apprentices will benefit by working on the project. Hale will also deliver a number of community initiatives during the project.
 
Jonathan Hale, chairman of JG Hale Group, said:

“We are delighted to be working with Wales & West Housing again, and are particularly proud of this development as it will allow us to showcase some of the innovative building techniques we have been developing for several years now.
 
“The biggest problem in the UK is the weather. If it’s pouring down with rain, we cannot complete externals etc. However, by using the TrisoWarm system along with offsite manufacturing, we can design and complete a house very quickly. Another factor influencing our decision on using TrisoWarm is that within the British Construction Industry there is currently a lack of bricklayers so off-site manufacturing alleviates this problem.”
 
Steve Griffiths, business development manager at JG Hale Group, said:

“JG Hale Construction are proud to continue their partnership with Wales & West Housing and are pleased that their innovative approach to construction is being recognised across Wales with many of the other RSLs expressing interest in this pilot scheme.”
 
JG Hale Construction was established in 1996 and is on course to become one of the largest construction companies in Wales. In 2017 the wider company, Hale Group, forecasted a turnover of £30 million, a figure which is set to increase by 15% year on year. 
 
Wales & West Housing Development Manager, Grant Prosser, said: “This is an important development for Wales & West Housing as it supports the much-needed demand in Cardiff for high-quality affordable housing for over 55s. We are looking forward to working with JG Hale to develop this scheme and seeing the benefits the ‘TrisoWarm’ system will bring to improve the overall build quality and keep heating bills down for our residents.”
 
The Chiltern Close scheme has been funded by Wales & West Housing in partnership with the Welsh Government and City of Cardiff Council.