A CONSTRUCTION company in the region is part of a consortium that has won a Government competition to build a house for £60,000.

Metek Building Systems, part of the MMP Group, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, will supply the steel framing for a housing development in Milton Keynes after its bid, with George Wimpey, was successful in the Design for Manufacture challenge.

The company was also involved in a bid put forward by Northern Edge, which reached the final stages of the competition, judged by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

Despite being unsuccessful, the housing association- led consortium has decided to go ahead with its de- velopment of social housing across the North-East and Yorkshire.

Metek managing director Dr Alan Rogan said the project could be worth millions of pounds.

He said: "We are all meeting in early December to move the scheme ahead and we are going to pilot one small development near Newcastle."

Metek manufactures light, steel-framed modules.

The frames are built in its factory at Newton Aycliffe, fitted out with plasterboard, kitchens and bathrooms elsewhere, and then transported to the building site.

Dr Rogan said: "We use the most advanced, modern method of construction. The speed of it is impressive - especially during this time of year when, historically, weather becomes the construction industry's worst enemy.

"By taking the majority of the work offsite, winter will no longer cause build times to spiral and allow our industry to continue the level of work needed to satisfy the number of large projects in the pipeline."

The company was recently awarded a £100,000 contract to make 18 modules for a housing development in Tower Hill, east London.

Dr Rogan said: "This contract is significant for the MMP Group as it demonstrates the flexibility of our off-site manufacturing facility and illustrates the ease with which we can adapt our designs to suit the client's specific needs."