The houses look a little different from their average new building
A pioneer of the apartment in North Somerset welcomes its first residents when the location approaches shortly before completion. Elm Grove in Nailsea is a new building development with a difference that embodies an environmentally friendly design in order to drastically reduce energy bills for the people living there.
In collaboration with developer Stonewood Homes and Housing Association Alliance Homes, the North Somerset Council delivered the 52 “affordable” houses on land.
The latter described Elm Grove as a “pioneering housing estate” and said that the residents are already moving in, even though the reserve is available more real estate due to common property. It is expected that the estate is completely completed by Christmas.
All 52 houses in the property are classified as “affordable”, with a mixture of houses and bungalows of two to four bedrooms. 26 houses are available for social rent, while 26 can be bought through common property.
The houses are “very energy-efficient” and “built according to the strict passive house standard”. This specific type of design was created in Germany in the 1990s, but the Elm Grove scheme is the first passive house development in North Somerset.
In the broader region, it can also say that it is one of the few in the southwest that offer completely “affordable” apartments. Alliance Homes claims that thanks to characteristics such as triple glazing, solar collectors, proper insulation and ventilation, the design of the houses could lead to energy costs of up to 95 percent less than in the British average.
Sarah Mcquatt, Service Director of New Homes at Alliance Homes, said: “We are proud to deliver these high-quality, energy-efficient houses in Nailsea. Passive house certification means that our customers will benefit from lower bills and warmer houses, and we are pleased to offer these properties as affordable housing construction for locals.”
As early as 2023, the council agreed to “convert” the seven hectares of area, which was previously a green space that was preferred by dog hikers and residents. The location was already considered excess for the requirements and was assigned by the authority in its local plan for housing construction.
The project received financing support from Homes England and the One Public Estate Land Release Fund. Although the full price list for the shared ownership houses is not yet available, the cheapest, which is currently visible in the Alliance brochure, is a three-bed that costs 40 percent for 40 percent per month to cover the rest.
James Patherick, land and planning director at Stonewood Homes, laid Elm Grove as “flagship for sustainable apartments in the region”. He added: “We worked closely with our partners to create houses that are not only energy -efficient, but also spacious, adaptable and built according to a high standard.
“It is exciting to see how the first residents pull in and take shape the community.” Council member Mark Canniford, Executive member for Placemaking and Economy in the North Somerset Council, was also enthusiastic about the benchmark that the estate could determine.
He said: “This development shows what is possible when local authorities take on a proactive role and work with local partners to facilitate the delivery of apartments. Elm Grove offers urgently needed affordable houses for sale and rent, all of which were built according to the highest energy efficiency standards.
“The development strategy of the North Somerset Council wants to deliver houses and jobs that meet the needs of our community now and in the future. These are the building blocks of flourishing local communities. It is therefore critical that these sustainable passive house houses are affordable and quality.
“Elm Grove gives the tone for what can be achieved with the partnership and ensure that the development of the country of local people can unlock opportunities in the coming years.” Houses for the social rent are available via the selected award scheme from North Somerset to the housing-sowed, while joint ownership requests can be carried out directly via Alliance houses.