Arcadis are currently working with South Hams District Council on delivering an affordable community and rural housing programme in South Hams and West Devon
The schemes are typically on exception sites and are justified on grounds of addressing an identified housing need. One of the first schemes on the programme is a partnership between South Hams DC and the South Brent Community Land Trust.
The CLT was set up in order for the local community to build energy-efficient, affordable, sustainable homes. The CLT will retain the freehold and a share of the property built on the CLT land, held in perpetuity for the benefit of the local community. This will enable those people who cannot afford to buy a suitable property for their needs on the open market to be actively involved in the building of their own home. The CLT members will be involved in some aspects of the build and will work with the chosen Contractor on-site at the final stages.
Arcadis was appointed as the multi-disciplinary consultant incorporating a number of SME consultant firms and have worked closely with SHDC and the CLT to progress the design and obtain planning approval. The design went through a rigorous process with the Dartmoor National Park Authority with an expectation of high-quality design that will have minimal impact on the surrounding area. The scheme is for 17 low environmental impact residential units based on a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom ‘house types’.
The homes would be supported by the inclusion of shared on-site workshops, communal open space, parking spaces, swale and SUDS features, all within an integrated landscape scheme and enhanced biodiversity through additional landscape features.
The houses have been designed to be of an exemplar sustainable standard based around the Passivhaus Standard of low energy design in the building fabric. This is supported by extremely low embodied energy, renewable, ecological building materials.
Other schemes that Arcadis are working on with SHDC will also follow the same principals of high quality, energy-efficient, affordable homes.
16/01/20
