No electricity bills for residents of pioneering eco-homes

A pioneering affordable homes eco-development that uses earth bunds to improve insulation has been officially opened today by the Bishop of Grantham.

The Unity Gardens development, in Long Sutton, Spalding, built by Lincolnshire Rural Housing Association and supported by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), is a groundbreaking scheme to inform the construction industry of independent environmentally friendly living.

The scheme comprises six single storey affordable homes that are surrounded on three sides with earth bunds to offer high levels of insulation. Moreover, the ethos of the project is to encourage a lower-carbon lifestyle – with some residents benefiting from zero electricity bills.

John Howes, chief executive of Lincolnshire Rural Housing Association, said: “This project is placing all the people involved at the forefront of the low-carbon agenda in housing.

“A particularly pleasing aspect is seeing how much our residents have embraced the scheme’s philosophy. It has encouraged them to think about the environmental impact of their lifestyle to the degree that some are cultivating their own produce for the first ever time, on the on-site allotments.”

Margaret Allen, director for the HCA East Midlands, said: “It is great to see the development completed and the new community thriving. Unity Gardens is a great example of how our investment is helping to make a positive impact for communities by meeting the need for more high quality affordable homes.”

The development was supported by a £432,000 affordable housing grant from the Homes and Communities Agency – the national housing and regeneration agency responsible for developing thriving communities. SEArch architects from Long Sutton have designed the scheme.