Housebuilder TALO has secured its third and largest contract from Balma Group, a £4m residential scheme in Shoreham, Kent.
The Barons will comprise five five-bedroom homes on a rural site overlooking the Kent Downs, with Chapter Architects delivering the project.
The contract follows Croft Mews at Edenbridge, a mews-style scheme for rent and market sale that the ultra low-carbon housebuilder previously delivered for Balma Group.
Balma Group has again specified TALO’s full housing package for the development, including its offsite timber superstructure system, foundation system, energy package and pre-installed external timber finishes.
James Everest, managing director of Balma Group, said: “Following the success of our two previous projects, we had no hesitation in specifying TALO’s housebuilding solutions for The Barons. At Croft Mews, TALO reduced the build programme by around six months and delivered watertight homes ready for fitout in just four months from receipt of order. This would have taken around 12 months using traditional construction.
“That programme saving has significant commercial benefits for us as a developer, allowing earlier completion and a much faster return on investment. Importantly, the quality of the structures and energy performance standards of homes built by TALO give us a much stronger platform for delivering new housing – whether high specification homes for market sale or affordable homes for rent.
“The Barons reflects the confidence we have in TALO’s approach. We are now appraising all new residential sites with their solutions in mind because it enables us to build better quality, more energy-efficient homes whilst reducing risk and improving the economics of new housing provision.”
Joseph Edwards, director of Chapter Architects, said: “Having now worked with TALO on three projects, we have seen at first-hand how its offsite approach delivers exceptional build quality, thermal efficiency and airtightness without the significant cost premium required to achieve this standard traditionally.
“The Barons development is located on a rural green belt site with sensitive ecology and adjacent to ancient woodland. This means maximising construction of these homes offsite in the factory is particularly beneficial. TALO’s shallow foundation system is also much less intrusive – significantly reducing excavation, vehicle movements and waste to landfill.
“These solutions are a very good fit – for the environmental considerations of this site and to achieve ultra-low energy performance for homeowners.”
Each home is targeting an EPC A rating. Electric underfloor heating and hot water will be powered by solar energy, and each home will have EV charging. Mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems are also specified.
Triple-glazed windows and sliding doors will be pre-installed at TALO’s factory. The homes take design cues from barn-style architecture and are intended to meet inclusive design standards for multi-generational living.
TALO combines offsite manufacturing technology from Finland with design and manufacturing processes aimed at low-rise, ultra-low energy homes. The company works with housing providers, architects, housebuilders and residential developers across market sale, private rent, shared ownership and affordable housing schemes.
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