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• Sustainable homes

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England's largest zero-carbon development green lighted

By Gordon Miller

England’s first large-scale, CSH Level 6 development, Hanham Hall in South Gloucestershire, has been granted planning permission to build 195 zero-carbon homes.

Housebuilders Barratt will develop Hanham Hall eco village, which is part of the Carbon Challenge programme run by the HCA, the national housing and regeneration agency.

The new homes will be constructed using energy efficient materials, with very high insulation standards to conserve energy and water use in a design by HTA Architects integrating buildings in a landscaped setting that benefits both residents and local wildlife.

Ben Derbyshire, managing director of HTA said: “Our design seeks to be good for the environment but good for consumers as well. We have worked with our partners to create a product that suggests sustainable lifestyles and at the same time will be popular with house-buyers.”

Materials from the existing buildings on the site will be recycled in the new development and heat from air extracted from the homes will be recycled. Rainwater will be harvested for use in homes and gardens and residents will have access to allotments and orchards to grow their own produce.
 
Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: “Since our housing currently makes up a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions, it's essential that the fight against climate change begins at home.  This is why we’re making all new homes increasingly energy efficient, and zero carbon from 2016.
 
“The Hanham Hall site shows that zero carbon new homes are becoming a reality. This will also be a real, sustainable community – showing that zero carbon homes help create attractive and sustainable places for people to live now and in future.”
 
Hanham Hall itself, a former hospital building, will be refurbished and transformed into a community centre for the neighbourhood.  The centre will include a ‘sustainable living hub’ to help people become ‘greener’; with access to a crèche, café and a base for a car club.

A community owned and run development trust will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the entire neighbourhood, including building maintenance, car sharing and gardening clubs.
 
Robert Napier, Chairman of the Homes and Communities Agency said: “As one of the HCA’s flagship schemes, this is about testing the highest level of the Code for Sustainable Homes and looking at innovative ways to achieve true sustainability. 

"This will be the first large scale development in the country to be built to this high standard, demonstrating that while Level 6 is a challenge, it is one we must achieve if we are to prevent the impact of climate change and dwindling natural resources.”
 
Under the Code for Sustainable Homes, a new home’s sustainability is measured against nine categories of sustainable design. Level 6 is achieved if a development scores a minimum of 90 out of 100 points across all nine categories defined by the Code, and includes mandatory requirements to be zero carbon and a design for water usage of 80 litres per person per day.
 
Mark Clare, Chief Executive of Barratt Developments PLC, said: “We are delighted to be building the first zero carbon community at Hanham Hall.  There is no doubt that there will need to be significant changes in the way that  homes are constructed to meet higher environmental standards; this project places us at the forefront of this important agenda.”
 
Work on site is due to start by the end of this year and the first homes are planned to be completed by 2010. The development will be the first created as part of the government’s Carbon Challenge programme, which aims to help the housebuilding industry fast track a number of developments that significantly reduce the impact on the environment, provide important lessons for delivering low carbon development and encourage people to live more sustainable lifestyles.
 
Hanham Hall eco village may be the first large scale development designed to achieve CSH Level 6 to receive the planning go ahead, but it is not the first Code Level 6 homes to be built in England. 

Already, six CSH Level 6 certified three-bedroom homes have been built at Upton, Northants. Designed by architect Bill Dunster (who was responsible for the acclaimed BEDZed in Wallington, Surrey) at the Zedfactory, two homes are for sale, two for rent and two for shared ownership. RSL Metropolitan Housing (www.mho.co.uk) will managed the shared ownership homes.

Matthew Hoad, senior architect at Zedfactory, and who worked on the Upton homes, said: "These homes are genuinely zero carbon. Electricity is provided from rooftop photovoltaics and there is very little space heating requirement because the homes have very high thermal insulation."

Elsewhere, built CSH Level 4 homes at One Vale Street, West Norwood, London, go on sale to the public this weekend, 6 and 7 June. The 14 one- and two-bedroom flats are available to purchase under a part rent, party buy scheme. Prices start from £56,000 for a 35% share of a home valued at £160,000. See http://www.whatgreenhome.com/united_kingdom_page2.html#onevalestreet

In the West Country, five homes at the Old Apple Store development  in Stawell, Somerset, have been built to achieve CSH Level 5. Cerification is pending. Two houses remain for sale, priced from £275,000. See http://www.whatgreenhome.com/united_kingdom_page2.html#oldapplestore

A spokesman for eco homes website whatgreenhome.com said: "It's very positive news that Hanham Hall eco village has received planning permission. It's an exemplar large-scale development that will demonstrate to other housebuilders and to the public that building zero carbon homes that people want to live in is not only achievable but essential."

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