22 SEPTEMBER 2008
LIVING THE GREEN DREAM

A family of six are having a taste of greener living after moving into an eco-friendly home in Derbyshire.

The Blakes moved into the three-bedroom home in Hands Road, Heanor, developed by affordable housing consortium Quantum, in June, and are already seeing the benefits of living in a ‘green’ home.

Amber Valley Housing, part of the Quantum consortium, led on the project to develop the most environmentally-friendly homes in the town.

The homes are highly insulated which means minimal heating requirements and lower bills for the Blake family and the tenants of the other nine homes.

Mum Hayley and dad Nigel, who works as a postman, moved into the eco-home in June with their four children, Curtis who is 15, James 11, Sophie 4 and two-year-old Sam.

Quantum worked with developers Robert Woodhead Ltd which used an innovative eco-friendly timber based building walling system, Kingspan Tek. The system is constructed off-site, which minimises site waste and reduces landfill.

Using this system means the scheme achieved an excellent EcoHomes rating, a Government standard of how environmentally friendly new build homes are.

Land for the project was provided in partnership with Amber Valley Borough Council. The site once formed part of the railway leading to Heanor’s coal mine and was mildly contaminated with coal waste, but after the mine closed the land was allowed to lie fallow.

Before starting work Amber Valley Housing commissioned an expert ecological assessment of the site to identify important habitats. As a result the bulk of the site was cleared of the low-level contamination and landscaped. Fresh topsoil was brought in to create a healthy growing environment to maintain and support the site’s bio-diversity.

Other eco-features in the homes include highly efficient heating and hot-water systems, low water-use fittings, water butts to collect rain for the garden and secure cycle storage to promote green travel.

Mum-of-four Hayley said: “When I found out we were moving to a brand new home we were really pleased – and when we found out it was an eco-home it was even better. It’s really good that we’ll save money on our heating bills.

“We haven’t had our first bill through yet but I’ve definitely noticed that the house is very warm. We have the windows open all the time and the children never get cold, and we hardly ever have the heating on.”

“You can’t tell that it’s an eco-home to look at it,” added Hayley, who is a cash processor at a security firm in Derby. “When we came to have a look round, they explained all the environmental benefits and as well as making the house cheaper to run for us, it’s nice to know that it is better for the environment.”

Initially Quantum had planned to let five of the three-bed five-person homes, while the remaining five were to be sold for shared ownership on the open market.

But in response to the chronic under-supply of three-bedroom homes for general needs rent in the area, Amber Valley Housing, which is part of the newly-formed Futures Housing Group, applied for additional funding from the Housing Corporation and won a grant of £340,000.

Martin Sherman, Executive Director of Business Development and Asset Management at Futures Housing Group, said: “Minimising impact on the environment is everyone’s responsibility, but as an affordable housing consortium, Quantum is in a strong position to make a real difference to people’s lives as well as the environment.

“It is great that all ten homes are now rented out and the families who move in will enjoy warm, secure homes with reduced heating bills.”

Quantum consists of three developing members – East Midlands Housing (lead investment partner), Derwent Living and Futures Housing Group - together with four partner members - Advance Housing Association, Foundation HA, Rockingham Forest HA and Wellingborough Homes.

The consortium manages more than 30,000 homes across the Midlands and beyond and was launched to deliver affordable housing schemes, follow the principles of good development and share skills, knowledge and best practice.

Quantum is one of just 108 organisations across the country, which has been selected to deliver the Housing Corporation’s affordable housing programme.

EMH won an Affordable Housing Scheme of the Year, from the publishers of Northern Housing for a scheme at Hill Court, Bushby, in Leicestershire.

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