Greenwich: Learning the Hard Way with MMC

Trying new ways to build homes comes with real risk — but doing nothing comes with a bigger one. In this episode of 1.5M New Homes: The Local Government Challenge, Toby Fox meets Peter Fernandes, Senior Project Manager at the Royal Borough of Greenwich, on site at Orangery Lane — a modular housing scheme delivered through the Greenwich Builds programme. Peter speaks candidly about:

1. Starting an MMC scheme just before Covid
2. Modular contractors going into administration
3. Supply-chain failure and programme delays
4. Schemes costing more — and taking longer — than planned
5. Why councils can’t put all their eggs in one basket
6. Mixing MMC, traditional build, SIPs, acquisitions and partnerships
7. The need for more leeway when councils are innovating

The episode ends with a powerful reminder of why this matters: the families on the waiting list, and the human cost of not delivering. Delivering 1.5 million new homes will require councils to try, learn and adapt — and to be supported while they do so. Sponsored by Red Loft and Lovell Partnerships.