News

Saturday 19th December 2015

Plans for a new affordable eco-housing scheme in Thurlestone have been given the go ahead by South Hams District Council.

Affordable eco homes planned for Thurlestone Plans for a new affordable eco-housing scheme in Thurlestone have been given the go ahead by South Hams District Council. The scheme will provide four new three-bedroom homes on former council-owned land at Parkfield. It was approved at South Hams District Council’s Development Management Committee on November 7 and will be run in partnership with South Devon Rural Housing Association. The innovative new homes will be offered to local people with a housing need to rent at 80% of local market rents. The houses will be constructed to Level Five of the Code for Sustainable Homes. This requires buildings to be twice as efficient at conserving energy as an average house. South Hams District councillor for Dartmouth and Kingswear district, Jonathan Hawkins, said: “This is an exciting project to provide local people with sustainable homes, one of our key priorities. It is particularly welcome in such a rural community that suffers from lack of affordable homes.” Steve Prime, CEO of South Devon Rural Housing Association who will be managing the build, said: “This is a very important development for the Association. We have long held the view that sustainable affordable housing can be developed in rural locations, not as an experiment but as a template which can be replicated.” Rod Hewett, Chairman of South Devon Rural Housing Association, added: “As a small local housing association it demonstrates our ability to deliver innovative solutions for local people in rural areas. This development takes a huge step forward in proving that this does not need to be a one off. Our tenants will benefit from high quality homes and extremely low energy costs. This could not have happened without the support the Association received from South Hams District Council.”