Business news 02/10/2023

Keepmoat delivers first full Future Homes Standard housing development in Gedling

Top 10 UK homebuilder Keepmoat is delivering the first development of new homes to full Future Homes Standard for private sale at its Gedling Green development in Nottingham. The new development includes 33 new homes at the site of the former Gedling Colliery with the energy efficient new homes due to go on sale in November.

Located in the village of Gedling, the development forms part of the larger Gedling Partnership Scheme with Gedling Borough Council and Homes England and will deliver sustainable, energy efficient new homes to the local area.

All the new homes at the development will feature air source heat pumps, solar PV panels, increased levels of insulation and EV charging points to achieve the new future homes regulations which are set out to replace traditional Building Regulations for new dwellings.

Alongside Homes England and Gedling Borough Council, Keepmoat is partnering with a number of specialist organisations on the development including Birmingham City University and Arcadis. Lloyds Banking Group and Leeds Building Society are working with Keepmoat in a lending capacity to support the project with green mortgage products to help make buying an energy efficient home more affordable.

Tara Kennedy, Senior Development Manager – Land and Development at Homes England said: “We are delighted to be working with Keepmoat on this pilot which will bring the first development of new homes, built to the full Future Homes Standard, forward for open market sale. We are looking forward to seeing the first customers move into their energy efficient new homes in early 2024.”

Gedling Green is set across approximately 36 acres of land, and will provide two, three and four bedroom homes at the site of a former colliery. Forming part of Gedling Borough Council’s ambitious housing development strategy, the new homes contribute to the delivery of 950 new homes to the local area by 2028.

Tristin Willis, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat added: “We’re thrilled to lead the way in developing homes that fully meet the Future Homes Standard ahead of it becoming mandatory in 2025. This has been made possible through our strong working relationships with our partners on this development, including Gedling Borough Council.”

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke MBE added: “It’s fantastic to see the first Future Homes development in the UK being built here in Gedling, and what more of a fitting location than right next door to our beautiful Gedling Country Park. We are committed to developing a borough that plays its part to tackle the climate emergency and the council has made a pledge to become carbon net zero by 2030. Homes like these which will produce up to 80% less carbon emissions than those from a standard development, will play a vital role in supporting this commitment.

“I’d like to thank Keepmoat for their continued collaborative work with our Planning Department to deliver this Future Homes Standard development to bring suitable, energy efficient homes to the borough.”

Richard Rothwell, Commercial Development Manager at Leeds Building Society, said: “The UK has some of the oldest housing stock in Europe, and building new homes like this will make a huge contribution towards reducing UK carbon emissions. As a lender, we are proud to support this important project and look forward to learning more about how we can make buying an energy-efficient property built to the new Future Homes Standard more affordable for customers.”

Andy Mason, Head of Housing and Sustainability at Lloyds Banking Group added: “Supporting the drive to make the nation’s homes greener is not only a priority for Lloyds Banking Group, but a key part of helping mitigate the UK’s contribution to climate change. At the forefront of innovation and sustainability, the home building industry has a vital role to play in this and we are looking forward to learning about homeowners’ experiences in these new highly-efficient homes.”

Mike Leonard, Visiting Professor from Birmingham City University’s Centre for Future Homes, said: “We are delighted to partner with Keepmoat in this groundbreaking research which is vital as we enable evidence based decision making as we transition to low carbon homes. We will be monitoring and reviewing the construction, commissioning, handover and two years of post occupancy using interviews and sensors. We will also support Keepmoat to deliver demonstrable value and work with Lloyds Bank and Leeds Building Society to measure the economic impacts of this first at scale development of the Future Homes Standard for private sale.

“Our primary aim is to deliver high quality homes, avoid unintended consequences and evaluate the lived experience of those who are fortunate to secure one of these exciting homes of the future.”

To date, Keepmoat has built over 35,000 homes, transforming brownfield sites into thriving new communities. Almost 70% of its current developments are on brownfield sites and over 70% of its customers are first time buyers. In the last survey year, Keepmoat achieved HBF five star builder status, receiving a rating of at least 90% in the National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey.