Local green housing scheme to lead the way for UK

Environmentally friendly housing in the UK could be inspired by a scheme in Peterborough, which will see hundreds of carbon-neutral homes built on the city’s South Bank.

A consortium of developers will build 344 eco-friendly houses on a former factory site. More than a third of the homes will be priced for first-time buyers.

Simon Bishop, Eastern England projects director at regeneration agency English Partnerships, said: “The demand for homes and the impact of climate change are two of the biggest challenges facing the house building industry.

“The development will help address both issues and assist Peterborough in its ambition to become the nation’s environment capital by creating a truly sustainable new community which makes the most of its natural surroundings.”

The new homes will be powered by a combination of biofuel and solar panels, which means they will require no energy from the National Grid. The scheme will also include shops, community areas and a café selling food grown in on-site gardens, allotments and orchards.

Phil Harker, director of technical operations at Opportunity Peterborough hailed the development as “fantastic news”, adding that the scheme could set the standard for environmentally friendly housing across the country.

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