Over the past few years, we've seen a surge of enthusiasm for new approaches in construction—ambitious solutions aimed at transforming how we build homes in the UK. The promise has been compelling: faster delivery, higher quality, and a more efficient use of resources. Yet, despite significant investment, some of these efforts have struggled to gain traction, revealing a fundamental misalignment between what was being offered and what the market actually needed.
There’s a critical lesson to be learnt here: new approaches cannot succeed by sheer force of will alone. No matter how well-intentioned or technically refined a system may be, it must fit into the complex realities of housing delivery in the UK. The problem has never been a lack of technology or capability—it's been an overcommitment to a singular vision, pursued before the market was truly ready to pull it forward.
This is what we call the "monkey trap"—when companies grip so tightly onto their pre-defined solution that they cannot adapt, even as reality proves them wrong. Rather than releasing their grip and responding to demand, they try to push their approach into a market that doesn't work that way. And when that push fails, the whole model collapses.
But what if, instead of trying to force a singular approach onto the industry, we embraced a more responsive, adaptable way forward?
The Real Opportunity: Building an MMC Ecosystem That Works
If we want to move forward, the answer isn’t to abandon innovation while trying to force square pegs in round holes—it’s to be more intelligent, more adaptable, and more attuned to what the market actually needs. The good news? The UK already has a hugely diverse supply chain to help enable this, we already have a market of solutions to choose from—we just need to shift our approach.
1. A Strong Existing Supply Chain, Ready to Be Used
Across the UK, we have an established network of panelised, modular, and other offsite providers that have been quietly delivering solutions for years. Rather than betting everything on large, centralised methods of production, we should be focusing on deploying the right solutions for the right projects, at pace, using the supply chain we already have.
2. Workforce Development to Match the Need
A truly scalable approach to MMC doesn’t just require factories—it requires skilled people who can deploy solutions flexibly across different methods. This is why the Offsite Alliance’s work on "Workforce Foresighting" is so critical—mapping out the skills needed to support an MMC future that is responsive, not rigid.
3. Demand-Driven, Not Solution-Obsessed
Rather than locking into a single way of doing things, the focus should be on creating solutions that can adapt to market pull. This means:
· Engaging with developers and housing providers to understand what is actually needed
· Ensuring flexibility in MMC strategies, so solutions can evolve over time
· Building confidence in a range of methods, rather than banking everything on one approach
This isn’t about creating one universal solution that will work in all cases. It’s about creating an ecosystem of solutions—ones that can adapt, evolve, and integrate with the industry's realities.
Let Go of the Monkey Trap
The future of MMC in the UK isn’t about fixing the industry to a single way of doing things. It's about fostering a system that is dynamic, responsive, and built on a foundation of real-world demand.
Those who continue to hold onto rigid, predetermined models will find themselves trapped. Those who embrace a more open, agile approach will be the ones who shape the next era of construction.
It’s time to let go of the monkey trap—and start building something that truly works.
Matthew Egan
Egan Bennet Architecture
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