O’Keefe wins £12m Burgess Hill groundworks deal

A sewage treatment plant in Burgess Hill is to be remediated for a two-development project for prefab housing manufacturer Ilke Homes and social housing developer Places for People.The development, named Abbeville Park, will have a mix of property types, from small apartments to four-bedroom properties, all of which will be managed by Places for People.Of the 307 homes going up, 219 will made in a factory in Yorkshire and transported by road more than 260 miles to site for installation.O’Keefe Construction (Byrne Group) was established in July this year after Byrne acquired assets of O’Keefe Construction (Greenwich) out of administration in July this year. It will deliver bulk excavation, secondary infrastructure works, plot works and hard landscaping across a 24-month programme.O’Keefe director Derek Gilburt said: “Modular construction is fast gaining traction in the mainstream residential market as a solution to the UK’s housing needs. Far quicker than traditional build and virtually defect free, the advantages of a factory build are numerous. To translate this into progress at site requires a civils contractor who understands factory build and can produce site works to an above average standard.”Ilke Homes development director Tom Heathcote said: “We are very excited to deliver this brownfield regeneration scheme in partnership with Places for People and O’Keefe Construction and look forward to collaborating on future projects.”