sitesearch

Home | Media | News | Four star eco-housing development a ‘first’ for Barnsley

Four star eco-housing development a ‘first’ for Barnsley

One of Barnsley's 'greenest' neighbourhoods has been officially launched after passing a test of its environmental credentials with flying colours.

Fifty eight houses built by Bramall Construction, part of the Keepmoat Group of companies, in Newhill Road are the first in the borough to receive a four star 'excellent' ECO Homes rating, issued by the national organisation BRE.

The rating followed an inspection which looked at issues including the design of the homes, the materials used, energy use and the impact on local wildlife.

Only a handful of new housing developments in Yorkshire have been awarded 'excellent' status, with around 100 schemes achieving the mark nationally this year.

The £7.5 million development will also prove to be more affordable for residents, thanks to energy-saving measures which will save each household on fuel bills per year.

Some of the key features identified included:

• High air tightness level ratings and enhanced insulation, which will help tenants save money on their fuel bills.
• Energy-saving measures, including design that allows high levels of daylight into the properties, solar panels, low energy light bulbs and water saving devices fitted to taps, showers and WCs.
• Bicycle storage at each property and easy access to public transport and local amenities, based in nearby Carlton Road and Wakefield Road, to reduce the need for car use.
• Built-in recycling facilities and a home office in each house to reduce the need to commute and ease traffic congestion.

The houses have been built for Yorkshire Housing, in partnership with Bramhall Blenkharn Architects, BGP engineers, Homes and Communities Agency and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.

They replace an estate that was affected by methane from a former nearby mine. Bramall tackled this issue by installing an innovative gas membrane and ventilation system to ensure that the gas does not permeate the new and existing properties near the site.

Jason Shoesmith, Design and Build Coordinator at Bramall Construction, said: "This rating looks at all aspects of a new housing development, from the design of the scheme right down to access to public transport.

"In achieving the rating we believe we have set a new standard for environmentally sustainable housing in Barnsley, which delivers better, more affordable homes for local people."

Linda Gray from Yorkshire Housing added: "This rating is a real achievement and great news for our tenants.

"Over time, we expect these homes to save tenants money on heating and energy bills, which can only be good for them.

"In providing housing of this quality here, we've set a standard for other developments to follow."

Last year, Bramall Construction became the first company in the country to develop social housing to Level 4 of the Government's 'Code for Sustainable Homes'. The houses were also the first homes ever to be assessed under the code.