Novers Lane / We Can Make homes

Addressing housing need through a network of locally manufactured micro-homes.

BlokBuild first partnered with WeCanMake in 2020 as part of an InnovateUK project to create a community housing factory, tasked with bringing sustainable, affordable homes to the Knowle West area of Bristol.

These new homes follow an ‘Opt-in Densification’ approach matching local people who need homes with residents who nominate their back gardens, wide corners and gaps between buildings for development.

We completed the first two pilot homes in 2022, and are working on a further eight due for completion in 2023.

With site access via walkways between existing homes, the project continues our successful track of unlocking the potential of sites inaccessible with traditional forms of construction. We installed our system on steel beams fixed to concrete pad foundations, the lowest carbon and least intensive approach for the local site conditions.

Our streamlined installation methods served to reassure local residents during the construction phase by showcasing a modern, non-disruptive approach to delivering new homes within the community. We also provided training in Modern Methods of Construction for local tradespeople as part of the project’s vision for housing delivery that extends beyond ‘units’ to support the wider economic regeneration of the area.

For more information visit www.wecanmake.org