Gentoo's new eco-homes for rent 'will help keep down fuel bills'

Published by Jon Land for Gentoo Group Ltd in Housing and also in Environment

Gentoo Sunderland has released new homes for rent specifically designed to keep down fuel bills and meet the Government's sustainability standards for new housing.

The homes are part of one of Gentoo's largest regeneration projects, in the Southwick area of Sunderland.

Last year, Gentoo began their £45 million rejuvenation of Southwick.  The newly named ‘Leafields’ development will include around 300 brand new properties, including a retirement village, and will be built over the next four years. 

A range of two, three and four bedroom houses, bungalows and apartments will be delivered in four phases with residents being offered the choice to buy or rent their home.  Plans also include improvements to pedestrian, cycle and vehicle routes. 

A boulevard will be created along Faber Road and a large linear park will run through the development, acting not only as amenity open space but as a safe and attractive pedestrian route to local facilities.

These new homes and amenities alongside a new school, will combine to create a thriving community in this area.

Resident parking will be provided at each home, and a series of ‘Home Zones’ will be created to slow traffic to a minimum and encourage use of the streets for play.  Leafields will meet Secured by Design standards and all rented homes will meet Housing Corporation Scheme Development standards.

All of the properties in phase two have been designed to meet the new Code for Sustainable Homes standards. The Code measures the sustainability of a home against key design categories, rating the 'whole home' as a complete package.

The key design categories included within the Code are energy and water use, specified materials, surface water run-off, minimisation of waste both in the construction and in the ongoing use of the home, pollution, health & well-being of residents, management of the site and local ecology.

In order to achieve these standards, the properties have been designed with increased levels of insulation and a higher glazing specification. 
Each will have solar panels fitted which will provide hot water in the homes and water butts will be installed in the gardens for re-use of rain water with an aim to cut fuel bills. 

Ian Porter, Managing Director of Gentoo Sunderland said:  “We are really keen to offer our customers homes that are not only built to last well into the future and that meet all of their expectations, but that are also energy efficient and will enable them to save money on household bills.  This is especially important in today’s current financial climate.

“It’s really great to see the whole development taking shape and we’re looking forward to our first residents moving in to Phase 1 soon.”

The Leafields development has four Phases in total and Gentoo are well under way with the build of phase two which comprises 121 properties, with a range of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes for sale and for rent.  The homes on Phase 2 are now been advertised and prospective renters are being advised to express their interest with Gentoo Sunderland.