Larkfleet And Muir To Demonstrate 'Green' Heating System In Affordable Homes For Local People

Senior staff and directors from South Kesteven District Council, developer Larkfleet Homes and Muir Group Housing Association will meet in the village of Harlaxton, near Grantham, on 22 October to see an innovative low energy heating system turned on.

Larkfleet (www.larkfleethomes.co.uk) which is based in Bourne, near Peterborough has designed and built 29 new homes at Harlaxton for Muir Group, with some of the funding for the homes being provided by the governments Housing Corporation.

The development comprises a range of two and three bedroom houses and bungalows which are being reserved exclusively for local people with a direct connection to the village.

Some of the homes are being made available for low-cost renting and some are being offered for shared ownership, allowing a family to buy part of the home and rent the rest from the housing association as a way of getting a foot on the housing ladder.

The homes are all fitted with air source heat pumps a heating system which operates like a refrigerator running in reverse, taking heat from the surrounding air to heat the home. It is designed to provide low cost and environmentally-friendly heating and hot water in this way even on cold winter days when the outside air temperature is low.

The homes are also built with high standards of insulation and other features to reduce their carbon footprint.

On 22 October the first air source heat pump will be officially turned on watched by tenant Sally Wilson who will be moving into the home within the next few days.

Larkfleet will be handing over the first six homes on the site to Muir before the end of the month with the rest to follow over the coming weeks.

David Robinson, development director at Muir Group Housing Association, said: Muir Group is delighted to be working in partnership with Larkfleet to develop homes that meet the highest environmental standards.

We will be monitoring the performance of the air source heat pump system over the next few months to see how it performs during the winter. If it is the success that we expect it to be, we will be aiming to put similar systems into future new homes.

The house where the first heat pump is going to be switched on will be occupied by tenant Sally Wilson with her partner John Bates and nine-year old son Connor Singleton who attends the primary school in Harlaxton.

Sally said: I think the air source heat pump sounds like a really good idea. We are all really looking forward to moving into our new home.

Grantham-born Sally and her family currently live in the nearby village of Woolsthorpe by Belvoir and her local connections have enabled her to get one of the new homes at Harlaxton.

Karl Hick, managing director of Larkfleet Group, said: Despite recent house price falls, rural communities are still being torn apart by high property prices which prevent local people, especially the young, finding homes in their own village. Even when prices are within reach, it is difficult for people to obtain mortgages.

Developments such as this, where low-cost rented homes and shared ownership properties are reserved for local people, can play a vital role in maintaining village communities. They can also help to secure the economic future of villages, helping to provide customers for local services and homes for children who will use local schools.

This is one of a number of developments where Larkfleet is working closely with South Kesteven District Council to provide affordable housing.

Mandy Gee, partnership project officer at South Kesteven District Council, said: Offering properties only to those who have a connection to the village helps keep communities together. Larkfleet appreciates the need for affordable housing which makes it a beneficial partner for us.

Karl Hick added: The council has been extremely helpful in its approach which has allowed us to develop much needed homes for local people who simply cannot buy houses in the current market conditions.