The use of prefabricated timber frame wall and floor panels together with trussed rafter roofs allowed the construction of the buildings above ground to proceed at a fast rate. This speed of erection together with the advantages of improved site safety, good thermal properties, low carbon content and the extensive use of timber (the only truly renewable building material) made timber frame the obvious choice of construction.
The 3 storey terraced houses incorporated steep pitched roofs and narrow, largely glazed front and rear walls. This posed interesting structural stability problems but these were resolved by the use of special timber racking panels and steel portal frames.