A PIONEERING flats development, "made in York" to help solve local housing problems, has been open to view for the first time.

The four-storey, £2 million development of 24 apartments, in Sixth Avenue, was completed 15 months sooner than normal, thanks to its pioneering building method.

The factory-built flats were craned on to pre-prepared foundations in only a few days, complete with bathrooms, kitchens, plumbing, heating, doors and windows.

Developed by the Yorkshire Housing Group in partnership with City of York Council, the Sixth Avenue Apartments were manufactured in York by Portakabin subsidiary Yorkon, and designed by Cartwright Pickard Architects.

The homes will be managed by Ryedale Housing Association, a member of the Yorkshire Housing Group, and are seen as helping to address the serious shortfall in the number of affordable homes in York.

City of York Council currently has 4,500 households on its housing waiting list.

Peter Atkinson, group property director of Yorkshire Housing, said: "We have worked well with our partners to deliver a bold and attractive scheme that will help meet the housing needs of York."

Councillor Viv Kind, the council's executive member for housing, said: "The completion of this development is a landmark for the city in terms of speed of construction, convenience to site neighbours and our commitment to ensuring that it creates an inclusive, mixed, new community.

"We are confident the development will provide excellent affordable homes for local people, with long-term benefits arising out of the innovative construction process which has also involved local labour."

Keith Blanshard, director and general manager of Yorkon, said: "The challenge was to demonstrate innovation in construction by combining the benefits of building off-site, a genuine partnership approach and contemporary architectural design."

James Pickard, project director of Cartwright Pickard Architects, said: "Our aim was to create a community of attractive, spacious homes, which give residents the benefit of low running costs and features such as a sunny and

secure landscaped courtyard."

Updated: 10:41 Saturday, March 02, 2002