Timber frame homes built in as little as five days could be a way to increase the pace of housebuilding in London, some of the capital's largest construction companies have heard.
Industry leaders travelled to Scotland to learn how the housing is produced, from sustainable forestry through to completed homes, as developers and ministers look for ways to increase the number of homes in the city.
Scotland has adopted timber frame construction on a greater scale than England. About 92 per cent of new homes north of the border are built using timber frame, compared with 13 per cent in England.
Andrew Orriss, chief executive of the Structural Timber Association, said: “Scotland builds faster, greener, and more efficiently than England. If London wants to build single family homes at pace, Scotland shows the way forward.
“And the reason is timber frame. These high-quality homes meet higher energy and carbon standards, reduce on-site risks and boost build speed. As an industry we look forward to working with housebuilders and lenders to deliver more homes at pace across the UK.”
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has a target to build 88,000 new homes per year over the next decade.
But just 6,325 private sector homes broke ground in the city in the first three months of 2026.
While the flatpack timber homes can be erected more quickly than than those that use brick, stone or concrete, London schemes often rely on high density, tall tower blocks to pack flats into smaller spaces.
In Britain, structural timber buildings are only permitted to a maximum height of 18 metres, or up to 6 storeys.
John Kirkby, executive director of PEFC UK, said: “Timber has a vital role to play in the transition to a low-carbon built environment, but it is important that increased demand is matched with responsible sourcing and certification.”
New housing development locations have also proved controversial in the capital.
The Government has vowed a housebuilding boom for London with two “new towns” delivering 36,000 homes.
Up to 21,000 flats and houses are lined in Enfield, while a riverside site in Thamesmead, Greenwich will see up to 15,000 alongside the Docklands Light Railway extension, it was announced in March.
But Enfield Council has “formally withdrawn” support for the new homes due to be built on large swathes of Green Belt land in Crews Hill and Chase Park.
Labour had supported the project, but the party lost control of the borough at the local elections on May 7.
A new Tory-led minority administration, propped up by the Green Party, said the town hall would no longer be backing the “new town” and would also reject Tottenham Hotspur's plan for a women’s training facility on Whitewebbs Park.
