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As green as the hills...

Posted by Catherine Deshayes on Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Holiday parks in England are better known for their ‘kiss me kwik' approach than they are for their environmental agenda but that's all changing - Gordon Miller, founder of eco homes website whatgreenhome.com, finds a new generation of parks is emerging, where the homes are sustainably built using local and renewable materials and the estates are run in an environmentally considerate manner...

Indio Lake at Bovey Tracey, Devon, for example, is a small development of only 12 lodges (several are for sale), most of which are built around the eponymous lake. The lodges are timber built, fixed structures and stylishly furnished with plenty of eco features. The timber is FSC certified, water conservation practices are built in through low-flush toilets and rainwater harvesting systems, and low energy lighting is installed in every lodge.

Nature abounds in such a rural setting. Set in mature woodland, ducks waddle around the land and blackberries grow wild on the lakeside bushes; the grounds have a blanket tree preservation order that means they can't be further developed. The second home only distinction means they may only be lived in for six months of the year, which the developer says lessens the strain on the local housing market.

Ideal weekend get aways for families or a second home bolthole for early retirees, the eco lodges at Indio Lake the two-bedroom lodges are priced from £165,000 through agent Knight Frank. Several owners let their lodges to earn an income; weekly rental prices start from around £425. A managed rental service is onsite and eco-friendly household products - detergents etc - are standard.

One County over in south Cornwall, The Bay at Talland is a select holiday home development of only 42 properties located above the rocky coves and small, picturesque beaches of Talland Bay, an unspoilt spot between Looe and Polperro. The first homes, whose exteriors are finished in a blend of natural Cornish stone and cedar, were completed only this summer.

Built on the site of a former caravan park, The Bay has won awards for its use of natural, local materials, and the skills of local craftsmen.  Eco-friendly features include solar heating for the indoor pool, economical underfloor heating, high levels of insulation and natural, eco paint finishes throughout.

All the homes are permanent constructions, using a combination of modern and traditional building methods and materials from local contractors, and will have a 10-year NHBC Buildmark warranty. Lease terms are 999 years, and each owner will own a share of the freehold.

Prices at The Bay start from £280,000 for a two-bedroom, 84 sq m (900 sq ft)  ‘Sea View'; three-bedroom lodges are for sale too. Owners are able to let their property (there is an onsite management company) as well as use it personally. Owners can choose to take up a rental guarantee package over two years if they wish which also allows some personal usage.

 A couple of counties over, in Somerset, Mill Meadow, at Kingston St Mary, is a holiday home development of up to 18 Scandinavian type, two-storey log houses constructed from FSC accredited sourced timber, using mostly local materials and labour. Hot water and space heating are provided from renewable sources, and water conservation and waste recycling practices are set up.

The completed show house has achieved a BRE EcoHomes ‘Excellent' rating - the highest possible - and Whatgreenhome.com Highly Commended certification. The homes are sold off-plan and prices start from £275,000. Four properties are available for holiday lettings: two eco lodges and a pair of semi detached houses. Weekly rental prices start from £462 for one week.

Information

The Bay, Talland, 01503 272224 www.thebaytalland.com

Indio Lake, Bovey Tracey, Knight Frank 01392 848844 www.knightfrank.com

Mill Meadow 01823 451256 www.millfieldecoprojects.co.uk

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