Pictured above: (l-r) Sharon McGuire, resident of Whiteford
Drive; Cllr Derek Zanger, Cabinet portfolio holder for housing,
Kettering Borough Council; Cllr Russell Roberts, leader, Kettering
Borough Council; Guy Higgins, managing director, William Davis Ltd;
John Conway, head of housing, Kettering Borough Council and Matt
Cooney, group chief executive, LHA-ASRA Group
Affordable housing specialist, William Davis Ltd, has handed
over the first eight of 18 'eco-friendly' homes at a new
development on Whiteford Drive, Kettering.
Built in partnership with social housing provider LHA-ASRA
Group, the £2.2m partnership project is the very first Code
for Sustainable Homes Level 5 scheme to be undertaken by
Loughborough-based William Davis. The new development will not only
provide much needed housing for the area but also address the
sustainability issues that are increasingly important in the
provision of affordable housing.
The new homes benefit from photovoltaic solar panels, mechanical
heat recovery systems, rainwater harvesting, high levels of
insulation, low energy light fittings and water saving devices,
resulting in substantial reduction in carbon emissions and lower
energy bills for residents.
Built on land provided by Kettering Borough Council, the homes
are also equipped with recycling bins and composting facilities for
kitchen waste and to complement the eco-technologies within the
homes, a series of bird and bug boxes have been installed within
the vicinity, along with a reptile refuge at a nearby brook.
Richard Cornes, partnerships director, William Davis said: "The
development of sustainable homes is at the forefront of everyone's
mind and the new houses on Whiteford Drive are a fine example of
eco-efficient construction in the affordable housing arena.
"Together with LHA-ASRA and all the partners involved in this
project, we have produced a scheme that everyone can be extremely
proud of and proves that incorporating 'green solutions' need not
impinge on modern family living."
Michele Walker, programme delivery manager at LHA-ASRA, said:
"Transforming disused land into affordable family homes is a real
boost for the area and constructing homes with sustainability in
mind provides a pleasant and a healthy place to live.
"By incorporating eco-efficient elements into the build and
constructing for adaptability in future years, we have brought some
very real long-term benefits to residents, for example more natural
light in the homes and lower energy costs."
The remaining 10 properties are scheduled for completion in July
2011.