Collapsed local modular housebuilding firm Ilke Homes‘ name has been brought back to life.

The company, based alongside the A1(M) at Flaxby near Knaresborough, ceased trading and entered administration last June with the loss of more than 1,000 job losses and debts of £320 million.

Government housing agency Homes England, which was owed an estimated £68.7 million, was among the substantial list of creditors. Employee claims were reported to be more than £720,000, while HMRC was owed £2.1 million and unsecured creditors’ debt at the company totalled £249.3 million.

However, Irish company Homespace Residential Limited is now using the Ilke Homes name.

The Stray Ferret understands Homespace bought some of Ilke Homes’ assets in October last year, including some inventory items and the intellectual property, which gives it the right to use the firm’s name and logo.

The home page of the Ilke Homes website how contains information about Homespace.

It says:

“Homespace was born through the completion of a strategic asset purchase agreement, taking ownership of Ilke’s trademarks, design IP, modular stock and technology patents.”

It goes on to say Ilke Homes “delivered over 1,000 high-quality energy-efficient homes” during its six-year lifespan and that Homespace has “proven built designs available for nine core house types”.

AlixPartners UK, which was appointed liquidator last year, said Ilke Homes faced “challenges of unprecedented inflation and a lack of land supply linked to planning processes”.

The firm told the Stray Ferret today it was still acting as liquidators for Ilke Homes, but declined to comment further.

The Stray Ferret reported in August that more than 600 former employees of the company were to take legal action over the handling of the redundancy process.

We contacted Homespace to find out more about the acquisition but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Read more:

• Flaxby firm Ilke Homes enters liquidation with debts of £320 million
• Employees to get little Ilke Homes settlement, document reveals

Councillors have refused a plan to build four environmentally-friendly homes at Flaxby, near Knaresborough.

It follows two larger applications that were refused by the defunct Harrogate Borough Council in 2021 and 2022, with those decisions upheld on appeal.

The plots on York Road were identified for people who want to build their homes. According to documents submitted by developer Ben Holmes from Holmes Planning Ltd, utility bills would have been reduced to “as close to zero as possible”.

This would be achieved through solar panels on the roofs and air-source heat pumps instead of gas boilers.

The homes would be designed according to Passivhaus principles, which is an innovative design code that prioritises insulation so that a home doesn’t need any heating or cooling at all resulting in minimal energy bills.

The developer also said the homes would adopt rainwater harvesting technology to reduce water consumption.

North Yorkshire Council has a waiting list of people wanting to build their own homes in the county and the developer said the scheme would help meet a demand.

The proposed site at Flaxby.

Councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Selby and Ainsty planning committee met yesterday at Selby Civic Centre to consider the latest application.

The plans received several objections from villagers in Flaxby.

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Caroline Greenhalgh, a councillor on Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council, told the committee she believed the site was unsuitable for development.

She added:

“There’s no infrastructure, services or adequate public transport.”

Mr Holmes addressed councillors and said the homes would be built to an “incredibly high standard”.

He said:

“These are going to be extremely green properties. It’s not a perfect site, I accept that, but it’s a good site.

“People will use their cars to get there however does that outweigh the benefits the site will bring? I say no it doesn’t.

“I firmly believe if you ask the public what they think, the majority would support this application.”

Ahead of the meeting, the plans were recommended for refusal in an officer report due to harm to the countryside and the loss of agricultural land.

Councillors ended up backing the recommendation and unanimously voted to refuse the plans.

Mark Crane, the Conservative councillor for Brayton and Barlow, said:

“I strongly support self-build however it’s clear as clear can be that this is not the site for it. Seldom have I seen so many reasons for refusal.”

Police are continuing an investigation into a break-in at Ilke Homes’ factory at Flaxby.

The modular housebuilder, which employed 1,150 staff, entered liquidation this month. Nearly all staff lost their jobs.

Thieves stole “a large amount of equipment” from the factory off the junction 47 of A1(M) on August 19 – just two days after it had been auctioned by administrators to realise the value of assets on behalf of creditors.

In a report, AlixPartners, which handled the administration, said it had filed an insurance claim over the incident.

It added that the suspects had cut through “several secured gates to enter with various vehicles” and refused to leave despite police attendance and “continued to breach the buildings on site”.

Administrators said they were forced to increase security at the site after the trespassers had left on August 20 after being served an eviction notice.

Read more:

• 600 Ilke Homes staff join legal action over job losses
• Ilke Homes: More than 1,000 staff made redundant
• Flaxby firm Ilke Homes enters liquidation with debts of £320 million

This included an agreement with North Yorkshire Police for two officers to remain at the factory for additional support.

AlixPartners said a claim with the company’s insurance provider “remains ongoing” and an update will be given during the liquidation process.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police whether any arrests had been made in connection with the break-in.

A statement from police said:

“The investigation is ongoing and the appeal for witnesses still stands.”

It comes as Ilke Homes, which was founded in 2018, was placed in liquidation this month owing £320 million in debts.

According to its report, AlixPartners estimated that HMRC, employees and unsecured credits are likely to receive no money.

Collapsed housebuilder Ilke Homes has been put into liquidation.

The company, which was based alongside the A1(M) at Flaxby, ceased trading and entered administration in June, causing the loss of 1,100 jobs and leaving a long list of creditors.

A final report from administrators AlixPartners shows the firm left debts of £320 million.

Among the sums owed by Ilke Homes was to government housing agency Homes England, which had an estimated debt of £68.7 million.

A court order has since been filed to Companies House on October 19 which states the firm will be placed into liquidation.

According to its report, AlixPartners estimated that HMRC, employees and unsecured credits are estimated to receive no money.

Main entrance to Ilke Homes’ Flaxby factory.

Meanwhile, Homes England is likely to receive £82,000 — some 0.1% of the overall debt it is owed.

Employee claims were estimated to be £724,614, while HMRC was owed £2.1 million and unsecured creditors debt at the company totalled £249.3 million.

Catherine Williamson, administrator at AlixPartners, said in her report that during the administration period it was determined there was “significantly less value to be realised than originally anticipated” from the company’s assets.

She said:

“Based on current information, the administrators do not anticipate that any funds will become available to enable any distributions to be made to the preferential or unsecured creditors; however, the likely levels of return are estimated and are subject to change.”

AlixPartners has been appointed as liquidators of the company.

Read more:

• 600 Ilke Homes staff join legal action over job losses
• Ilke Homes: More than 1,000 staff made redundant

Shortly after Ilke Homes collapsed, administrators said the firm had “faced the challenges of unprecedented inflation and a lack of land supply linked to planning processes”.

Officials at Ilke Homes said previously that it needed additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs, adding that new investment was needed to build its pipeline of 4,200 new homes.

Meanwhile, the Stray Ferret reported in August that more than 600 former employees of the company were to take legal action following the administration announcement.

Manchester-based law firm Aticus said it had been instructed by staff members to investigate concerns around how the redundancy process was managed.

Over 600 former workers at collapsed Flaxby housebuilder Ilke Homes are taking joint legal action over job losses.

More than 1,000 people were made redundant when the firm, which was situated close to junction 47 of the A1, entered administration in July.

Manchester law firm Aticus Law said yesterday it was now acting on behalf of more than 600 ex-employees over the way the redundancy process was managed.

The claim will focus on whether the correct consultation process was followed, and whether ex-employees are eligible to claim for a protective award claim against the company.

Those involved could receive up to eight weeks’ worth of pay in compensation, with a cap of £643 per week.

Edward Judge, a partner at Aticus Law, said:

“The protective award is a vital safety net for so many families in fast-paced redundancy situations that often leave them with no source of income and absolutely no notice.

“However, many people don’t realise that you can only get a protective award payment if you are included as part of the claim and are listed as part of the schedule of claimants attached to the tribunal judgment.”

Former staff members have until September 4 to add their names to the schedule of claimants.

Mr Judge said:

“After this unfortunately we won’t be able to accept new applicants, as we will be doing all of the necessary work needed to submit the claim to ACAS.”

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Thieves have stolen a “large amount of equipment” from Ilke Homes factory in Flaxby.

The modular housebuilder, which employed 1,150 staff, went into administration in June. Nearly all staff immediately lost their jobs.

The equipment was stolen two days after it had been auctioned by administrators to realise the value of assets on behalf of creditors.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“North Yorkshire Police is investigating a report of a break-in at a large industrial premises near the village of Flaxby in North Yorkshire.

“It was reported that on August 19 a large amount of equipment worth thousands of pounds had been stolen from the premises.

“The investigation is ongoing at this time. No arrests have been made.”

Ilke Homes’ factory is close to junction 47 of the A1, about two miles from Knaresborough.

Ilke Homes’ site near the A1(M).

Administrators AlixPartners commissioned Hilco Valuation Services to auction items including electric hand tools, travelling cranes and tipping skips.

The Stray Ferret asked AlixPartners for details of the value of stolen items and whether the site maintained on-site security.

It declined to comment beyond a statement that said:

“We can confirm that there was a break-in and subsequent theft at a property relating to the Ilke Homes administration.

“The administrators are now working with insurers and all related parties to minimise any losses incurred.”

Read more:

• Equipment from Ilke Homes’ Flaxby factory to be sold
• Ilke Homes: More than 1,000 staff made redundant

Ilke Homes, which was founded in 2018, reported a pre-tax loss of £34m in its latest accounts.

It claimed to produce operationally zero-carbon modular homes from its Flaxby site.

Police urged anyone with information about the break-in to dial 101 and quote incident number 12230156480

Equipment from Ilke Homes’ Flaxby factory to be sold

Equipment and machinery from Ilke Homes’ factory in Flaxby near Knaresborough will be put up for sale this month.

The modular house builder fell into administration in June after failing to find a buyer or further investment. A total of 1,150 staff were made redundant.

Administrators AlixPartners has commissioned Hilco Valuation Services to auction off a number of items of machinery on Tuesday, August 17 at 10am.

The equipment from the factory, which closed when the company fell into administration, will be sold online.

It includes electric hand tools, ladders, tipping skips and machinery such as automated wall panel lines.

In a statement last month, AlixPartners told the Stray Ferret that it was in the process of realising the company’s assets.

It said:

“The administrators are now working with a small number of retained employees to realise the assets of the business on behalf of creditors and are soliciting expressions of interest for any or all of those assets.”

Read more:

• Flaxby housebuilder enters administration
• Ilke Homes: More than 1,000 staff made redundant
• Ilke Homes collapse: 80 staff at Flaxby housebuilder start legal action

The factory at Flaxby was closed immediately after the company entered administration and all site activities ceased.

Administrators added the firm had “faced the challenges of unprecedented inflation and a lack of land supply linked to planning processes”.

Officials at Ilke Homes said previously that it needed additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs, adding that new investment was needed to build its pipeline of 4,200 new homes.

For more information on the online auction, visit the Hilco Valuation Services website here.

North Yorkshire Council has pledged to offer “comprehensive support” to staff being made redundant at Ilke Homes.

The company, which is based off junction 47 of the A1(M), fell into administration on June 30.

Management consultants Alixpartners was appointed administrators after the company failed to find a buyer or further investment.

Since then, a total of 1,057 staff have been made redundant.

Cllr Derek Bastiman, executive councillor for open to business, said in a statement to a full council meeting this week that Ilke Homes staff would be offered “comprehensive support” after the administration decision.

Cllr Bastiman said the council would be working with York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and government to offer skills and financial advice to those effected by the collapse.

He said:

“We are working with the government and the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership to offer support to former Ilke Homes workers to help them secure employment or re-training.

“Alongside the LEP, we have taken a stall at a Department for Work and Pensions job fair later this month where will be providing information on skills bootcamps, self-employment and start-up opportunities, mental health support and financial advice.

“The job fair will also include a pre-information session for former ilke Homes employees aimed at helping them get back into the workplace or finding training opportunities if they wish to learn new skills.

“We will continue to offer support where we can through the DWP.”

Read more:

• Ilke Homes: More than 1,000 staff made redundant
• Knaresborough housebuilder up for sale as operations paused
• Ilke Homes collapse: 80 staff at Flaxby housebuilder start legal action

Ilke Homes’ factory at Flaxby was immediately closed following the company entering administration and all site activities ceased.

Administrators added that the firm had “faced the challenges of unprecedented inflation and a lack of land supply linked to planning processes”.

Officials at Ilke Homes said previously that it needed additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs, adding that new investment was needed to build its pipeline of 4,200 new homes.

More than 1,000 staff have been made redundant at Flaxby-based Ilke Homes, administrators have confirmed.

AlixPartners were appointed to oversee the administration process of the company on June 30.

Ilke Homes, which is based off junction 47 of the A1(M), made the appointment after it failed to find a buyer or new investment.

In a statement at the time, administrators said a “significant majority” of the company’s 1,150 staff would be made redundant.

A spokesperson for AlixPartners has now confirmed to the Stray Ferret that 1,039 staff in the company’s homes section and 19 in its land section have been made redundant.

They said:

“The administrators have appointed a specialist agent to support former employees in understanding their statutory entitlements and making claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.

“The administrators are now working with a small number of retained employees to realise the assets of the business on behalf of creditors and are soliciting expressions of interest for any or all of those assets.”

Read more:

• Flaxby housebuilder enters administration
• Knaresborough housebuilder up for sale as operations paused
• Ilke Homes collapse: 80 staff at Flaxby housebuilder start legal action

The move comes as the factory at Flaxby was immediately closed following the company entering administration and all site activities have been ceased.

Administrators added that the firm had “faced the challenges of unprecedented inflation and a lack of land supply linked to planning processes”.

Officials at Ilke Homes said previously that it needed additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs, adding that new investment was needed to build its pipeline of 4,200 new homes.

Meanwhile, the Stray Ferret reported last week that more than 80 former employees of the company were to take legal action following the administration announcement.

Manchester-based law firm Aticus said it has been instructed by 80 staff members, 60 of whom are from Flaxby, to investigate concerns around how the redundancy process was managed.