Construction students see behind the scenes at new housing development in Northfleet

Construction students from North Kent College were given a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into building a new home on a trip to Bellway London’s Harbour Village development in Northfleet.

A group of nine young people from the college’s Bricklaying course visited the site off The Creek on Tuesday 30 January to learn more about the housebuilding process.

They were shown the House to Home plot, which has been opened at the development to showcase the different stages involved in constructing a new-build home.

“We hope that this will inspire a new generation of site workers by showing students that property is so much more than just bricks and mortar. We are keen to work with young people so that they obtain a practical understanding of how new homes are created.

“It was a pleasure to welcome the students from North Kent College to Harbour Village and we hope they enjoyed their visit. Their enthusiasm and eagerness to ask questions was encouraging to see and we wish them well in their future careers.”

The House to Home plot has been designed to demonstrate the three main phases of the build process that turn a house into a home. These include the ‘first-fix’ or pre-plaster stage where features such as piping, wiring and blockwork are still visible; the ‘second-fix’ or post-plaster stage which includes sinks, baths and other fixtures such as floors, internal doors, sockets and switches; and the ‘third-fix’ or final stage which involves the installation of wall and floor tiling, decorating and carpeting.

Different plastering stages can be viewed upstairs, allowing staff to explain features such as no-drill zones, and viewing points also provide a display of insulation behind the walls.

Dan Hopkins, Lecturer for Carpentry at North Kent College, said:

“We are truly grateful to Bellway London for accommodating this visit for our students. Viewing a property at different stages of construction isn’t something you get to see every day and this opportunity has been gratefully received.

“The site team were brilliant and provided our students with plenty of openings to ask any questions they may have relating to construction. Thank you to everyone involved for making the visit such a pleasing experience.”

Bellway London is building over 500 new homes at Harbour Village, on the site of the former Northfleet Cement Works. The development is part of the wider Ebbsfleet Garden City project.