Latest news with #sustainablehousing
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Plans submitted for hundreds of new homes on County Durham estate
Plans for the next phase of development have been submitted for a 'prestigious' County Durham residential estate. Developer Stonebridge Homes, supported by North East planning specialist Hedley Planning, has put forward proposals for 245 new three, four, and five-bedroom family homes at Wynyard Park. The plans include 122 properties with enhanced accessibility and 20 specifically designed for wheelchair users. Every home will feature roof-mounted photovoltaic panels, enabling onsite renewable energy generation, and facilities for electric car charging. A computer generated image of the new homes planned (Image: Supplied) Secure cycle parking will also be provided throughout the site. The 15-hectare site is part of the next phase of Wynyard Park, a private housing estate on the edge of Stockton and Hartlepool, which has achieved garden village status from Homes England. The existing woodland to the north is set to be retained and enhanced with additional tree and shrubbery planting. This is part of a landscaping scheme that aims to integrate the new housing into the surrounding landscape, delivering ecological enhancements and reducing vulnerability to climate change. The landscaped scheme (Image: Supplied) Access to the site is proposed via Bloomfield Drive to the south, which branches from the Hanzard Drive roundabout with the A689/Hartlepool Road. The scheme is expected to be considered by Stockton Council's planning committee this summer. If it receives approval, building work will begin shortly after, with the first phase of homes expected to be available in 2026 at the earliest. Hedley Planning director, Alex Franklin, who is overseeing the planning application, said: "This submission is welcome news and the latest step in the ongoing Wynyard Park success story. "If plans are approved, the project will deliver a high-quality residential development to live in, incorporating a strong landscaping strategy, sustainable access, and a significant boost to the borough's housing supply." Read more: Fight to save County Durham village pub sees £70k pledged in 'astounding' first week Plans approved for new 'blue light hub' fire service headquarters in Durham North East residents call for dogs to be 'banned' from beaches Chris Musgrave, CEO of Wynyard Park Limited, said: "This latest proposal is part of the continued development of high-quality homes and facilities at Wynyard Park. "It will support job creation, the local supply chain and deliver a development that people can be proud of. "This is a great step for Wynyard Park and I'm looking forward to seeing it come to fruition."
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
End-of-terrace homes in England and Wales
Royal William Square is a 20-home estate built in 2007 just behind the dunes of Camber Sands beach. On the end of one of the terraces is a three-bedroom house built with a focus on being low carbon. It has a sedum planted green roof and double-glazed timber doors. A communal air-source heat pump services the neighbourhood while solar panels heat the water. There is underfloor heating running downstairs. To enjoy the environment around it, the house has two balconies, a terrace and a patio. £495,000 The Modern House 020 3795 5920 Photograph: PR IMAGE At the end of a multicoloured terrace is a three-bedroom cottage in pale-blue pebbledash – which is fitting, given it is just minutes from the sea. The separate kitchen and sitting room are on the ground floor, with two bedrooms and a bathroom on the first and another bedroom in the eaves, with views across Start Bay. Outside is a courtyard garden and a collection of outbuildings, which have been converted into a store, study and utility room. Halfway between Dartmouth and Kingsbridge, at one end of a beautiful stretch of beach. £475,000. Marchand Petit, 01548 857 588 Photograph: Marchand Petit This Victorian home sits just off Clapham Common Westside in the popular 'between the commons' part of south-west London. It is close to the shops, restaurants, bars and nurseries around Northcote Road with 89 hectares of Clapham Common parkland on its doorstep. Spanning four floors, the handsome house has five bedrooms and five bathrooms and a sociable kitchen with a roof lantern bringing more light into the back of the property. The worktops look out on to the walled and neat low-maintenance garden. £2m. Wilfords, 07896 961 777 Photograph: Wilfords The pretty harbourside village is a few minutes away from St David's, with views over St Brides Bay and even better views of the peninsula from the rocky headland above. On the high street, in the centre of the village, is a stone cottage with three bedrooms. The kitchen runs the width of the property, opening into the dining room. There is a separate living room. For sea swimmers there is an outside hot-water shower in the garden and storage buildings. The EPC energy efficiency rating is down at E with a potential of C. £390,000. Country Living Group, 01434 622 234 Photograph: Country Living Group On Oak Road, one of the sought-after 'tree roads' lined with mature trees and high-value properties, is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom Victorian house with red-brick detailing behind a low stone wall. Recently renovated, there are glazed concertina doors that fold back to link the kitchen and garden. There is a path at the side of the kitchen that has not yet been completed. Within the footprint, the owners have also managed to carve out a wine cellar and a cinema room. Hale station is just a few minutes' walk away. £785,000. Jackson Stops, 0161 928 8881 Photograph: Alex Reay
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New homes start of 'enduring community'
Hundreds of new homes could be the "foundation for a sustainable, inclusive and enduring community" as the start of a new village, the developer behind the proposals have told the BBC. The 350 homes at Kilkenny Farm, near Carterton, in Oxfordshire, could be the first of 6,500 in the surrounding area, HarperCrewe Bloombridge said. Critics of the plans have labelled them "unsuitable" and a "disgrace", saying the negative impacts would "far outweigh any perceived benefits". But Richard Cutler, from the developer, said the plans would deliver an "exemplary, sustainable new neighbourhood". The proposals were submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) in February, and are currently under public consultation. The scheme includes plans for a community hall and 122 properties available for "affordable rent and discounted sale". Mr Cutler, who has helped shape the plans over the past decade, said they had been "carefully designed" and were "largely" about addressing "clear and pressing housing needs". He told the BBC: "The goal is to create a neighbourhood that delivers long-term value for West Oxfordshire, that fosters community strengthening, and sets a new standard for design, sustainability and placemaking across the district." "Kilkenny Farm is not simply a housing scheme, but a foundation for a sustainable, inclusive and enduring community," he said. But the proposals have proved controversial, with one opposition statement submitted to WODC pleading: "Please leave our countryside alone." "Infrastructure, services, and the local environment are not in a position to support a development of this magnitude," another said. One local resident added: "While I understand the need for housing, this development is excessive and unsustainable for the local area." Another questioned the development's location around a village featured in the Doomsday Book, but Mr Cutler said the site was the "logical and appropriate location for growth". You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Plans for new village labelled 'disgraceful' West Oxfordshire District Council
ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Demand for energy efficient houses growing across Australia, Domain report finds
Energy efficient houses are a "must-have" for a growing number of buyers, commanding a premium price in markets across the country, property experts say. The demand is reflected in real estate advertising with half the homes currently for sale touting some sort of energy efficient feature, according to a new report from the property website Domain. North-facing homes, double-glazed windows and solar panels are all attractive features that offer year-round comfort as well as smaller energy bills, the report says. Domain's chief of research Nicola Powell said much of that demand is being pushed by "middle Australia", especially with energy prices set to rise for half a million homes and businesses across from July. "It does appear that middle Australia is really driving the uptake and driving the price premiums for a more energy efficient home," Dr Powell said. At a house inspection in Brisbane's south, real estate agent James Austin said buyers had been asking about energy efficiency more and more, particularly for new builds. He said solar panels, solar hot water and energy efficient lighting were commonly asked about. "I know the price of housing is very high, but maybe if you spend a bit more at the start you can save in the long run if the house is energy efficient," he said. In Brisbane energy efficient homes on the market are attracting almost 20 per cent more views online, according to the report. Dr Powell said for prospective buyers anything that could reduce costs in the long-term was becoming more of a priority. In Queensland suburbs, including Calamvale in Brisbane's south and Robina on the Gold Coast, houses are selling for up to $300,000 more than non-efficient homes, according to the report. It said energy efficient units sold for almost 10 per cent more than non-efficient units. North-facing homes — which provide passive heating in winter and reduced cooling needs in summer — boost the price of a house by $375,000 on average across the country, the report said. Solar panels continue to be the most popular energy efficient feature, but don't add as much value. Other features such as roof and ceiling insulation can cut heating and cooling needs by up to 45 per cent. Homes chew up about a quarter of the country's electricity, with disproportionate share taken by homes with "poor thermal performance", that overheat in summer and lose warmth in winter. Dr Powell said the challenge of retrofitting Australia's existing housing stock — 70 per cent of which was built before 2003 — is also an opportunity for policymakers. "If you're thinking about putting in double-glazing or solar panels, it does come at a hefty cost. Having the right policies in place to drive that uptake and ensuring our older housing stock are just as efficient will be a step in the right direction," she said. Experts warn renters and low-income households risk being left behind unless more incentives to bring older homes up to modern standards are brought in. Green Building Council of Australia chief executive Davina Rooney said it's important that renters are included. She urged for more schemes like the Queensland plan to offer grants to landlords for solar panels. "We need to make these things more common and drive them across every part of the market," Ms Rooney said. In the ACT all residential property sales and rental advertisements are required to disclose their energy efficiency rating. Expanding that scheme nationwide would be a step in the right direction, Dr Powell said. "That really drives transparency and allows a renter to actually see the potential energy efficiency of that home and therefore the potential running costs."
Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Green housing targets could boost buyer trust in newbuilds
The government has put large-scale housebuilding at the centre of its plan for economic growth — and crucial to it is the untangling of a planning system that frustrates developers, councils and communities alike. But as each of the mooted 1.5 million homes are built over the course of this parliament, they are potentially already on the way to requiring retrofitting if they do not feature sustainable materials or green technologies. That is because green housing remains unmandated. We have yet to receive concrete details or timelines on the Future Homes Standard, despite it being primed for implementation this year when first announced by Theresa May's government in 2019. The stated ambition was for new homes to produce 75 to 80 per cent less carbon
