Kettering Borough Council is celebrating the opening of a new sustainable housing development fitted with the latest green energy efficient technologies.

Built in partnership with Orbit Homes, the project comprises 37 homes for affordable rent, and 14 houses available on the HomeBuy Shared Ownership Scheme. The development achieved the 44% of carbon savings to attain Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 by using a raft of energy saving techniques.

‘We used noise reduction measures due to close proximity to the railway line and the A43. The scheme was constructed using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) with prefabricated insulated panels which were manufactured off site. These will have low embodied energy and are produced to increase energy efficiency standards,’ said Katie Prati, housing borough officer for Kettering.

Furnace Lane, Kettering

She added: ‘This will result in the reduction of CO₂ emissions for each of the dwellings. Sanitary fittings were carefully selected to reduce water consumption, which will also be significantly reduced by the incorporation of rainwater harvesting. In addition, the storm water will be attenuated to reduce the speed of outflow from the site.

‘The development has also been designed with north-south facing dwellings, which will incorporate the principles of passive solar design. In addition, solar water heating will be incorporated onto the roofs of the correctly orientated dwellings, with ground-source heat pumps to the housing facing east-west.’ All units were also designed to deliver a 25% improvement on DER/TER to limit CO2 emissions and improve energy efficiency. Solar panels were attached to each house, and the good news for tenants is that electricity bills are projected to fall as much as £130 per year for a two/three bed unit, with the photovoltaic panels targeted to produce a peak of 1KW for every four bedrooms.

In the fabric construction of external walls, roof, internal walls, windows, upper and ground floors all materials used were compatible with the green guide for energy efficiency. The Orbit Group’s aim was also to build a place of ‘distinctive character’ with a focal design to stand out in the area.

To create a modern and seminal appearance, timber cladding and glazed canopies were incorporated into the design and the basic form, roof pitch and materials have been selected to create a unified yet distinct style. All of the rented properties have been let using the council’s Choice Based Lettings Scheme, and Orbit say the feedback from those who have moved into the development is very positive. All tenants are reporting that they enjoy living on the complex and feel safe and comfortable in the surroundings.

Kettering Borough Council first spotted the potential for an affordable homes project on the Furnace Lane plot in 2004, on what was then an allotment site. The original plan was to build 52 dwellings to maximise the use of the council’s land holding, improving the appearance of the Borough while meeting the high demand for economical home ownership.

The Orbit Housing Group were the preferred development partners of the council, and the land was handed over to them as they were trusted to create a building with the latest designs for code four energy efficiency, reducing the amount of names on the housing waiting list and minimising the amount of spending on bed and breakfast rooms.

A spokesperson for the Orbit Group said: ‘The site was identified by Kettering Borough Council as one which could be used to assist registered providers in the delivery of affordable housing, with council being unable to build themselves. They facilitated the process by making the site available for £1, in return for securing nomination rights via a Section 106 Agreement required as part of the planning process. The site formerly comprised under-used allotment land in council ownership and was therefore put to a more positive use via the council’s enabling powers as an authority.’

The development in concept and design is not a ground breaking one as similar project have been constructed in other boroughs using similar modern carbon reducing technology, but the council were determined to create a ‘showcase’ design that would advertise pristine use of modern methods.

The HCA are in favour of the Furnace Lane model, and similar housing projects are being delivered under the agency’s Public Land Initiative. In February and March this year there were six sites in Doncaster, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Telford, London and Birmingham that were chosen for new housing developments, with 947 homes being built and 288 earmarked for affordability schemes.