Barratt contracted to build UK's first eco-village

The village is expected to be built in three years' time, ahead of the government's 2016 target, when it wants all new homes to be zero carbon. The onsite biomass combined heat and power (CHP) plant will deliver energy to all 200 homes.

The village also aims to create eco-friendly lifestyles. It will capture rainwater and include sustainable drainage, farmers' shops, a car club and bicycle storage.

Hanham Hall will be the first site to be built under the under the Carbon Challenge initiative, run by English Partnerships as part of the government's commitment to tackle climate change.

Cooper said: "We have set a world-beating target that all new homes must be zero carbon by 2016. People said this couldn't be done, but, in fact, this first carbon challenge site shows that developers are already preparing to build the first major development of zero carbon homes.

The government is proposing to build 10 eco towns that will house up to 20,000 new homeowners. Cooper said the smaller eco-villages would aid the towns' development.

"These Carbon Challenge eco-villages are now leading the way, showing what can be done. This marks a revolution in the way we design and build homes," she said.

Barratt, which is best known for its anonymous suburban "Barratt boxes", last year opened an eco-smart show-village in Lancashire to test small-scale renewable technologies including rooftop wind turbines, solar thermal panels and CHP boilers.

Mark Clare, Barratt Developments' chief executive, said: "We are delighted to be asked to deliver this ground-breaking project, which will be the first large-scale zero-carbon community in the country. It will enable a family occupying one of these homes to reduce their entire carbon footprint by 60%."

The housing minister also unveiled six shortlisted bidders for the second Carbon Challenge site in Peterborough, and two new sites in Wigan and Doncaster.

She said: "The challenge will deliver zero carbon homes and communities and help the housebuilding sector demonstrate that the targets are feasible and can be commercially viable."
Alison Benjamin
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