Bellway’s new Mansfield facility marks a major expansion in offsite timber construction as builders embrace MMC, robotics and low‑carbon materials to meet rising housing demand.

One of the United Kingdom’s fastest-growing home builders is doubling down on timber frame, with Bellway Home Space to open its new timber frame factory later today. Wood Central understands that the new plant, located in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, is part of a plan to eventually build more than 3,000 timber-framed houses every year by 2030.

Announced in 2024, the new facility is part of a concerted effort by Bellway to invest heavily in modern methods of construction to more than double its percentage of timber homes under construction – from 12% to 30% by 2030.

At the time, Jason Honeyman, long-time CEO of Bellway, said the choice to invest growing timber frame over brick and cavity was because it “offers a proven range of operational, financial, and environmental benefits…we have been expanding its use, on a trial basis, in several Bellway divisions in recent years, in addition to its long-established use in our two Scottish divisions.”

“As a modern method of construction (MMC), the use of timber frame in housebuilding is of growing importance in the UK, and the government is supporting the increased use of MMC as part of its plans to increase the supply of high-quality, sustainable new housing.”

Last year, Wood Central reported that more than 30% of the UK’s top home builders now own a timber-framing facility. “Timber is already reshaping the UK built environment as a supply chain able to deliver on our housing and climate targets in construction, but we are yet to fully unlock this opportunity,” according to David Hopkins, CEO of Timber Development UK, who spoke at the UK Timber Design Conference in London.

“The science is established – timber homes are much lower-carbon than their masonry equivalents, offsite timber construction is much more efficient and resilient to the skills gap, and the timber approach is safe, cost-competitive, and sustainable while driving investment back into forest growth and development.”

Can robotics and timber frames help fix the UK’s housing crisis?

And the science is supported by action: In August, Reuters reported that a shortage of skilled labour, combined with the push toward modern construction methods and environmentally sustainable materials, is prompting builders to give traditional timber-frame construction a second look. “We’re seeing more major housebuilders and small and medium-sized builders embracing timber as a way to … overcome the skills and carbon challenge,” according to Alex Goodfellow, CEO of Donaldson Timber Systems (DTS), who is using AI and robotics to produce timber panelling for more than 100 houses every week.

The push to embrace timber frame comes after the Keir Starmer government revealed plans to scale up timber in construction, including homegrown C16 softwood timbers, as a “fit-for-purpose solution” for engineered wood products. For more information about the UK’s plans for timber construction, click here for Wood Central’s special feature from March 2025.

Source:https://woodcentral.com.au/bellways-home-space-to-help-double-timber-frame-across-england/ 

Image: Keith Shuttlewood via Alamy