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Prefabs

Morturn said:
I know the Council and West Midlands Historic Building Trust had been looking at how these building can be preserved, but lack of funds and decision making seems to be getting in the way.

I did put a proposal in where all but two of the prefabs are renovated and then let to elderly or disabled. Then a concierge put in one, with the other being fully restored to its original condition and opened as a museum. The rent revenue would have covered the concierge and museum costs.
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what a great idea mort..did anything come of your proposal

lyn
 
There are planning applications in for all the prefabs as far as I can tell.
1677599625486.png
It is dated 12 January and does not seem to have been approved yet. Some of it a bit technical for me. Some of it seems to be to remove bits and pieces for assessment.
If any one wants to read it then it is on this site and they are applications 2023/00223/PA and 2023/00245/PA
Morturn said:
I did put a proposal in where all but two of the prefabs are renovated and then let to elderly or disabled. Then a concierge put in one, with the other being fully restored to its original condition and opened as a museum.
Click to expand...
Morturn you might be surprised to know that:
1677599392028.png
Also:
1677599429246.png
These must be the two I saw fenced off. There is a concern about asbestos use and also lead paint.
 
pjmburns said:
There are planning applications in for all the prefabs as far as I can tell.
View attachment 178284
It is dated 12 January and does not seem to have been approved yet. Some of it a bit technical for me. Some of it seems to be to remove bits and pieces for assessment.
If any one wants to read it then it is on this site and they are applications 2023/00223/PA and 2023/00245/PA

Morturn you might be surprised to know that:
View attachment 178282
Also:
View attachment 178283
These must be the two I saw fenced off. There is a concern about asbestos use and also lead paint.
Click to expand...
How interesting. I bet I’m not on the guest list when they open a museum lol.
 
You might understand some of the technical bits better than me. As far as I can tell the applications relate to work prior to doing anything major. They need permission because of the listing of the properties.
It was when I saw the word "museum" I had a chuckle to myself. Not sure if a curator or similar would live in the adjoining property.
 
pjmburns said:
Not sure what happening but 3 or 4 of the Wake Green Road prefabs which were looking very sad have had their gardens cleared and are surrounded by metal security fencing.
Others lived in and looking good but others looking in a sad state.
Will try to get photo when I am that way later this week.
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Cannot demolish them for me fond memories.
 
I hope the prefab museum is established there, we will see. If refurbished / rebuilt to modern standards the other prefabs could become suitable housing for the right people. Ted Francis, a relative lived in number 413 Wake Green Road from the start, with his mother. After her death, he lived alone until he took in a cat - which he called 'cat'. He was eccentric, wearing his mother's false teeth after his had broken, but I have fond memories of visiting him there until the early 1970s. I think he would have attracted the attentions of social services these days, but he seemed happy enough in his self-contained life. Anyone remember Ted? His prefab was original except that he would plug an electric fire into the light fitting!
 
I do not think plugging the fire into the light fitting was unusual back in the 50s. I can remember that you had adapters that fitted the light . When I was young there was only one socket (non-light) in the living room, and if you wanted power in another room then that was the only option
 
Time Traveller 66 said:
Thanks lyn yes they were great . If they built them today you would have affordable housing as well.
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Architecture students have many competitions each year to design social housing, but an architect colleague pointed out that the cost of the land would double the price of the house. When the prefabs were built it was government policy and they were rented from the council. The owners of the large costly houses opposite in Wake Green Road protested that the building of prefabs would depress the value of their private houses. Derek
 
Stokkie said:
Architecture students have many competitions each year to design social housing, but an architect colleague pointed out that the cost of the land would double the price of the house. When the prefabs were built it was government policy and they were rented from the council. The owners of the large costly houses opposite in Wake Green Road protested that the building of prefabs would depress the value of their private houses. Derek
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A bit of sour grapes but they were built anyway and gave people who could not afford a mortgage an affordable accomodation with fitted kitchens seperate toilet and bathroom and usually a nice view from the back garden. Plus they were detached .
 
Time Traveller 66 said:
A bit of sour grapes but they were built anyway and gave people who could not afford a mortgage an affordable accomodation with fitted kitchens seperate toilet and bathroom and usually a nice view from the back garden. Plus they were detached .
Click to expand...
Yes, my relative and his widowed mother would not have been able to obtain a mortgage as he was unable to manage sustained work. One issue with flat-pack and modern prefabricated houses is that a mortgage is difficult to obtain. Some people self-build, but I think a lot of experience is required. The straw bale house for example. The benefit of the post-war prefabs as you say was that kitchen, bathroom and toilet were built in and professionals could quickly connect the services.
 
Astoness said:
some good news..looks like things are moving along to restore some of the pre fabs on wake green road but i cant seem to post the link to the update

lyn
Click to expand...
Was it this?
www.google.co.uk

Costly restoration of Brum prefabs left 'frozen in time' gets underway

The pre-fabricated homes were factory-built to replace the houses destroyed by bombing during the Second World War
www.google.co.uk www.google.co.uk
Went by last week - nothing happening apart from the fencing I reported earlier. Will keep an eye on things and photograph what I can.
 
Just checked planning site and approval for both applications has been granted. One was sublject to a "method statement". That seems to be a plan for how things are to be done.

Method Statement:
The development shall be carried out in full accordance with the submitted method statement ""Wake Green Road Grade 2 listed Pre-Fabs Methodology and Conservation Method Statements," submitted under application reference 2023/00223/PA, unless alternative details are first submitted prior to implementation. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and Method Statement.
Reason: In order to ensure that the character and appearance of the building as a building of architectural and/or historic interest is retained in accordance with Policies PG3
 
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