It’s hard to disagree with James Lidgate, the man in charge of insurance giant Legal & General’s homes business, when he claims to have just about the most exciting job in UK housebuilding today. If you don’t believe him, it may be that you don’t know enough about L&G. 

Legal & General has dabbled in residential development for more than a decade, notably through its regeneration joint venture the English Cities Fund. But the firm’s February 2016 announcement that it was creating a 550,000ft² modular housing warehouse capable of turning out 3,500 homes a year was the moment many realised something pretty big and altogether new could be happening. 

In fact the modular factory is actually just one strand in a strategy encompassing homes for sale, for private and affordable rent and for older people, which L&G says will see 80,000 houses built over the next five years. That’s a run rate of more than 15,000 a year – the same as Taylor Wimpey today, equivalent to one in every 10 new UK homes. The big question is, of course, whether it can do it. Building met with former Bellway executive Lidgate at L&G Homes’ first major site – Buckler’s Park outside Bracknell – to find out.

“We absolutely remain committed to innovating the construction industry and we are creating a product that is genuinely new and revolutionary”

James Lidgate, L&G Homes

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