Richard Rogers' affordable eco-homes 'to inspire others'

Published by webmaster for 24dash.com in Housing

The first fruits of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's £60,000 house challenge are starting to pop up across the UK.

Among the first schemes to be built as part of the 'Design for Manufacture' competition is George Wimpey's 145-home development at Oxley Woods, Milton Keynes, designed by renowned architects Rogers Stirk and Harbour, formerly the Richard Rogers Partnership.

The new homes feature cutting edge designs which will set them apart from traditional houses and lay down a template for other builders of affordable homes to follow.

The properties have been constructed from sustainable materials and employ unique features including an ‘EcoHat’ – allowing hot air to be reused to optimise energy consumption and provide passive solar water heating – as well as exceptional layouts to maximise space and light.

All of the homes on the site have been designed to meet the Government’s sustainability targets through using high levels of insulation and controlled ventilation in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

Through concepts applied by both RSHP and George Wimpey, each property will also achieve the maximum National Home Energy Rating – a measure of heating, lighting and appliances.

Graeme Dodds, divisional managing director at George Wimpey, said: “Climate change is high on the agenda and developers in the UK need to start playing their part and making tangible contributions to eco housing.

“The ongoing focus on the environment will not only impact on building policy, but also on the lives of consumers. We are extremely proud of Oxley Woods, which has allowed us to offer greater choice for the eco-conscious customer.”

The homes at Oxley Woods - which some have described as 'flat-pack' - have been precision engineered off-site to allow each house to be quickly and economically erected while maintaining build quality.

They are not only cost effective and ecologically sound, but their positioning on the site offers a true ‘place for people’, providing an environment that encourages interaction through well-designed public and private spaces.

Each home has also been designed to feature two distinct zones – the ‘service zone’ which will incorporate bathroom, utility and staircase areas, and an uncluttered ‘living zone’ comprising living room, dining room and bedrooms.

Richard Rogers of RSHP, said: “Our partnership with George Wimpey has given us an opportunity to take a fresh look at housing design.

"By working closely together, we have been able to develop an approach which links construction closely to design, giving real value to the home owner.

"The scheme at Oxley Woods is highly flexible and sustainable and will, we hope, provide homes for a diverse community for many generations to come.”

Graeme Dodds added: “In working with RSHP we had access to some of the most imaginative and forward thinking professionals in the world. We would like to thank them for their ongoing commitment and contribution to the scheme.”

The 145 homes at Oxley Woods will be in 10 different designs and houses will be available with two, three, four and five bedrooms.

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