TV Grand Designer to build eco-homes in Front Garden
7:03am Friday 6th July 2007
Comments (13)GRAND Designs presenter Kevin McCloud has chosen Swindon for his first foray into major house building.
Hab Housing, his new development company, will form a partnership with Footstep Homes to build two developments of 150 to 200 homes in the town.
One cluster will be built at the disused Pickards Field allotment off Pinehurst Road, and the other will go up on agricultural land at Wichelstowe in the Front Garden.
The details of the homes are still in development but they are expected to meet high environmental standards.
That is because Kevin has written widely on eco-homes in the past, and set up Hab to tackle a lack of green housing in the UK.
Hab, which stands for Happiness, Architecture, Beauty, aims to create sustainable communities with housing that is environmentally-friendly.
Kevin said: "I'm very excited that Hab and Footstep have an opportunity to work with Swindon not just on one but two sites. We share the view that the future of housing in Swindon will be known for architecture of the highest order, great and vital communities and world-leading sustainability.
"We're not interested in just ticking all the boxes, we're interested in making places that people really enjoy living in, places people enjoy visiting, places where people want to stay."
The two developments will be built on greenfield sites, and production company Talkback Thames will film the progress for a Channel 4 documentary.
Kevin said: "Both sites offer challenges, not least of which is the fact they're both currently very green spaces.
"But our interest in these sites starts with what they already have: the trees, their open space and their ecology.
"We know from studies that it's possible to develop a site and in fact increase the biodiversity there.
"That remains an objective in both locations."
Coun Rod Bluh, leader of Swindon Council, said: "I am incredibly excited that Kevin McCloud has chosen Swindon for this very important project, which has a significance way beyond our boundaries.
"We have been driving hard our vision for sustainable development over the past year and to secure Kevin's project is a great boost to our ambitions.
"Kevin is an inspiring designer and individual and we are extremely lucky that he's chosen to focus his talents here in Swindon."
Hab Housing and Footstep are working with two architectural practices, dsdha and Wright & Wright, who were selected from a long list of 50 architects. The chairman of the Front Garden Action Group said he hoped the scheme would push other developers to go green.
Terry King said: "I am delighted to hear that another 150 plus homes will be built to an extremely high environmental standard, because at the moment it isn't high enough.
"Only five per cent of the Wichelstowe development has been earmarked to meet the excellent standard, which is 225 homes out of more than 4,000.
"We should be using this example to push the council into raising the required percentage. They are always saying they want to be one of the greenest councils, well here is a chance to back it up with action."
Your Say YourThis Is Wiltshire
an idea, swindon says...
10:51am Fri 6 Jul 07
I think that Kevin is brilliant and quite cute, but there's a problem.
Swindon is facing a seriously inefficient management of TRAFFIC, WATER CONSUMING (remember all the recent bans?), troubles with teenagers... more houses mean to add more trouble because clearly the Council isn't able to get things right.
This is why I find this interesting but perhaphs more applicable where things are under control.
Swindon is becoming a huge pile of mess :(
Lesley, Swindon says...
11:02am Fri 6 Jul 07
The residents of the area are in opposition to this and planning permission as far as we are aware has not been granted, yet they are already choosing developers! When my husband and I moved to the area 3 years ago Pickards field was a well used allotment, but because the council wanted to sell the land it was allowed to fall into the state that it is currently in.
The area surrounding the field is a natural flood area for the River Ray tributary and although it has never flooded in my 30 years of life, with all the flooding we have in this country I find it hard to believe the council can be so irresponsible.
We may as just all roll over, the council will obviously do what it wants regardless of public opinion.
an idea, swindon says...
11:18am Fri 6 Jul 07
Lesley wrote:... at the moment the only explanation seems to be "more houses, more council tax payers" :(
This is unbelievable! The residents of the area are in opposition to this and planning permission as far as we are aware has not been granted, yet they are already choosing developers! When my husband and I moved to the area 3 years ago Pickards field was a well used allotment, but because the council wanted to sell the land it was allowed to fall into the state that it is currently in. The area surrounding the field is a natural flood area for the River Ray tributary and although it has never flooded in my 30 years of life, with all the flooding we have in this country I find it hard to believe the council can be so irresponsible. We may as just all roll over, the council will obviously do what it wants regardless of public opinion.
Just A Thought, says...
11:38am Fri 6 Jul 07
New homes are inevitable, and lets be honest, none of us want it in our front (or back) garden, but if it has to be somewhere lets at least get it right. I hope this development is what its promising to be.
dave carter, swindon says...
11:55am Fri 6 Jul 07
an idea, swindon says...
12:04pm Fri 6 Jul 07
Just A Thought wrote:it is indeed, but still how are we going to get this town right?
Isn't it a good thing that these will be eco friendly? Also I note that at last we are talking about decent architecture instead of the usual bland, crappy 'cheap' houses most developers chuck up so they get the OK for their more profitable 5 bedroom mansions. This development will, undoubtedly be profitable, thats business, but at least they seem to have other things in mind too. New homes are inevitable, and lets be honest, none of us want it in our front (or back) garden, but if it has to be somewhere lets at least get it right. I hope this development is what its promising to be.
don't get me wrong, if this town was well managed, I would only be in favour of this initiative which I find brilliant!
it's the consequences that scare me
:(
Just A Thought, says...
1:28pm Fri 6 Jul 07
an idea, swindon says...
1:34pm Fri 6 Jul 07
to compare this into a more "engineerable" aspect... the feeling I have is to get a wonderful villa built on sand. the wonderful villa is your project and the swindon council is the sand... lovely but unstable.
this is my guts feeling.
I don't want to miscourage anyone.
I am just a taxpayer who's happy when things get well done.
I am sure your idea is great... I just have facts to demonstrate that swindon is currently getting unbearable.
if there was a way to get your project set up and swindon working as it should, then for me this would be heaven!
:)
actually... if you wish to improve my house, just give me a bell and I will cook you the best italian food you could have :)
Donkey, Swindon says...
1:44pm Fri 6 Jul 07
Can someone tell us what an 'affordable' house is please?
There's no doubt that any desirable building land is going to contain as expensive a set of homes as they, the developers, can get away with.
If Red House, near to the Tadpole Farm/Swindon and Cricklade Railway, and all those little cul-de-sacs around there, with not even the road width for a fire engine to get through, are an example of what's to come, Heaven help us?
There is plenty of room for any vehicle to get around their twisting and turning streets, that is until people begin parking their second cars all around the kerbsides.
Houses with gimmickry like clever energy saving conceptions will not be in the affordable bracket because invention costs money.
A visit to the Railway Village shows just how many, (quite small, I admit), simple, cheap affordable homes could be built on a relatively small development. Daniel Gooch and Co managed it a hundred and fifty or so years ago!
Chris H, Parks says...
3:48pm Fri 6 Jul 07
Voice of reason, Near Swindon says...
12:10am Wed 11 Jul 07
Lesley, Swindon says...
12:35pm Wed 25 Jul 07
Lesley wrote:I don't want anyone to think I'm doing an 'I told you so', but on Friday 20th July, Kembrey Small Park (one of the areas that they want to build on) looked like a lake. If they build on this area, the water will in future flood into the houses built on this area, not to mention the houses in the surrounding areas of Tiverton Road, Gorse Hill, May Close etc. Pictures on the BBC wiltshire site, also show extenive flooding on the Front Garden. Swindon Council, are you mad or just very greedy?
This is unbelievable! The residents of the area are in opposition to this and planning permission as far as we are aware has not been granted, yet they are already choosing developers! When my husband and I moved to the area 3 years ago Pickards field was a well used allotment, but because the council wanted to sell the land it was allowed to fall into the state that it is currently in. The area surrounding the field is a natural flood area for the River Ray tributary and although it has never flooded in my 30 years of life, with all the flooding we have in this country I find it hard to believe the council can be so irresponsible. We may as just all roll over, the council will obviously do what it wants regardless of public opinion.
In this section
- Town's U-turn over twinning signs
- Congregations have Hope in their hearts
- Savernake health campaigners await judge's decision
- Madonna's ex bids for green Wiltshire home
- Rowdy yobs cause 23,000 complaints in Wiltshire
- How Ushers' Trowbridge brewery is now the toast of North Korea
- Pubwatch spreads the word
- Devizes families in plea for traffic curbs
- Couple take over Upavon pub
- Swindon Fire Station open day
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
kaz0308, leamington spa says...
10:39am Fri 6 Jul 07