News
Hot air proves eco winner for new homes
21 February 2008
Eco building is more than just a lot of hot air – as members of theSouth Shropshire District Council Housing Working Group witnessed when they toured one of South Shropshire Housing Association’s latest developments of affordable housing in BishopsCastle.
The 20 two and three bedroom houses and bungalows at Drews Leasow have all been developed with affordability and low carbon footprints in mind – and the hot air is a tangible and sure fire winner.
Each property incorporates a solarium which helps circulate air warmed by the sun around the house and is finished with cedar cladding from sustainable forestry and with a lime render which required low manufacturing energy inputs.
Available for rent, through shared ownership and through equity mortgage schemes for people who can demonstrate strong local connections, the properties are already proving popular. Those for rent and shared ownership have already been taken and just three are still available under equity mortgage schemes.
One tenant Mrs Monica Tomkins, who together with her husband Colin has moved into one of the bungalows from nearby Grange Road, said: “ We wanted to move into a bungalow as we near retirement age and these are wonderfully laid out and beautifully warm.”
The development, off Grange Road uses an old local name for a meadow and landscaping includes native species in hedgerows and a wildflower meadow. It was built for South Shropshire Housing Association – the region’s largest not-for- profit landlord – by BennettHomes.
SSHA Managing Director Paul Sutton said: “Drews Leasow demonstrates how eco-friendly components can be included in contemporary designs and blended into the local community. It is all part of South Shropshire Housing Association’s drive to reduce energy consumption both in building materials and in the running costs of new homes.”
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