Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
FP McCann has recently completed another successful partnership build with London-based residential and commercial property developer, Hollybrook. Construction has been completed on the London Borough of Barking-owned Transport House site in Dagenham, the former office block home to the Unite trade union. The building comprises 149 brand-new, sustainably heated residential properties with undercroft parking, which also serves a Premier Inn next door. The project is Hollybrook’s second collaboration between Barking and Dagenham council-owned BeFirst, a pioneering urban regeneration company. With full adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) on the build, FP McCann, a Tier 2, BIM Level 2 certified supplier, has been instrumental in the design, manufacture, and installation of the precast concrete structural frame and architectural cladding system.
As on all such contracts undertaken by FP McCann, BIM Execution Plans (BEP) were prepared for the Transport House site development, demonstrating FP McCann’s proposed approach, capabilities, capacity and competence to meet stringent Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR).
The FP McCann precast structural frame comprises precast concrete core and party walls, prestressed hollowcore flooring planks and precast stair cores and stair landings. Integral to the structural frame itself are the architectural brick-faced, insulated sandwich panels, which both offer an attractive external finish to the building. Transfer slab cladding and ground floor cladding are other key precast concrete elements of the build. Many other MMC features included the supply and installation of galvanised conduits and the application of a fair-faced finish to internal walls, allowing for follow-on trades to complete their work in a timely and efficient manner. Coordinated works in conjunction with other contractors incorporated the bolt-on stair and balcony fixings, as well as the placement of bathroom, en-suite, and utility pods. The accelerated construction time typically seen in such off-site precast concrete structural frame builds resulted in the Transport House project in Dagenham being completed in just 50 weeks.
Commenting on the Transport House residential development, Jean-Michel Holloway, Project Quantity Surveyor for Hollybrook, says, “Reducing construction times by 40%-60% compared to traditional build methods has to be factored into addressing the housing shortfall in urban locations. Traditional construction methods, while tried and tested, are increasingly inadequate to meet the soaring demand for quality, affordable housing.
The Transport House residential development is a clear demonstration that offsite construction and MMC in urban locations not only help address the current housing challenge but also lay the groundwork for a more efficient and sustainable home-building industry. By embracing these methods, we can build faster, reduce our environmental impact and provide safe, affordable living space.”
For further details on FP McCann's Off-Site Building Solutions, visit fpmccann.co.uk/uk/precast-off-site-building-products
FP McCann has recently completed another successful partnership build with London-based residential and commercial property developer, Hollybrook. Construction has been completed on the London Borough of Barking-owned Transport House site in Dagenham, the former office block home to the Unite trade union. The building comprises 149 brand-new, sustainably heated residential properties with undercroft parking, which also serves a Premier Inn next door. The project is Hollybrook’s second collaboration between Barking and Dagenham council-owned BeFirst, a pioneering urban regeneration company. With full adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) on the build, FP McCann, a Tier 2, BIM Level 2 certified supplier, has been instrumental in the design, manufacture, and installation of the precast concrete structural frame and architectural cladding system.
As on all such contracts undertaken by FP McCann, BIM Execution Plans (BEP) were prepared for the Transport House site development, demonstrating FP McCann’s proposed approach, capabilities, capacity and competence to meet stringent Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR).
The FP McCann precast structural frame comprises precast concrete core and party walls, prestressed hollowcore flooring planks and precast stair cores and stair landings. Integral to the structural frame itself are the architectural brick-faced, insulated sandwich panels, which both offer an attractive external finish to the building. Transfer slab cladding and ground floor cladding are other key precast concrete elements of the build. Many other MMC features included the supply and installation of galvanised conduits and the application of a fair-faced finish to internal walls, allowing for follow-on trades to complete their work in a timely and efficient manner. Coordinated works in conjunction with other contractors incorporated the bolt-on stair and balcony fixings, as well as the placement of bathroom, en-suite, and utility pods. The accelerated construction time typically seen in such off-site precast concrete structural frame builds resulted in the Transport House project in Dagenham being completed in just 50 weeks.
Commenting on the Transport House residential development, Jean-Michel Holloway, Project Quantity Surveyor for Hollybrook, says, “Reducing construction times by 40%-60% compared to traditional build methods has to be factored into addressing the housing shortfall in urban locations. Traditional construction methods, while tried and tested, are increasingly inadequate to meet the soaring demand for quality, affordable housing.
The Transport House residential development is a clear demonstration that offsite construction and MMC in urban locations not only help address the current housing challenge but also lay the groundwork for a more efficient and sustainable home-building industry. By embracing these methods, we can build faster, reduce our environmental impact and provide safe, affordable living space.”
For further details on FP McCann's Off-Site Building Solutions, visit fpmccann.co.uk/uk/precast-off-site-building-products
