Swindon is set to be the location of the UK’s next eco housing development if the plans submitted by presenter of the self-build TV show Grand Designs are approved. The proposal is for a development of sustainable housing, which would be called ‘The Triangle’ to be built on a brownfield site, made up of 2.5 storey terraces which would provide 42 homes.
The properties would include a range of energy efficiency boosting features designed to reduce their energy consumption of water demand, which in turn will reduce the home’s carbon footprints and running costs. These features include rainwater harvesting systems, tertiary glazing and environmentally friendly roofing, with plans to future-proof the properties to enable future fittings of solar PV and solar thermal panels at a later date.
The homes will be funded by the Homes and Communities Agency and are being built as part of a collaboration between Kevin McCloud’s development company, Hab, and Westlea Housing, a branch of the housing association GreenSquare. As well as incorporating green features into the houses themselves, McCloud envisages a number of community based environmentally friendly features for his new green development, including community kitchen gardens to encourage residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables for the kitchen.
The properties will also be denied garages, however car parking spaces have been incorporated into the design, which has been inspired by Kevin’s love for the railway cottages of Swindon’s past. McCloud told The Times the spaces would be restricted however, providing space that is “big enough for one Range Rover, two Astras or three electric cars”. In addition there will be community car share schemes in place which will be opened to the wider community to encourage reduction of reliance on cars for single passenger commutes.
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Tags: eco, eco development, eco homes, energy efficient housing, greensquare, hab, kevin mccloud, low carbon living, swindon, westlea housing