Housing and regeneration specialist HTA Architects has revealed detailed images of Hanham Hall, England’s first eco-village, proposed for a 6.6ha site near Bristol.

The 188-unit scheme, for housebuilder Barratt with engineering by Arup, is the first Code level 6 scheme in the country.

HTA aims to allow a family occupying one of its homes to cut its carbon footprint by around 60% without lifestyle changes. Further reductions in CO2 emissions will be encouraged through a management regime that promotes car sharing and growing food on site.

“The design wants to encourage neighbourly behaviour through shared spaces in front of dwellings and in the streets,” said HTA’s project director Simon Bayliss.

“This is to encourage getting to know your neighbours, which should lead to sharing the growing of vegetables and car sharing.

“We hope that the typical Barratt homebuyer will be tempted by this, and will come to live in a home they wouldn’t normally have thought of.”

The timber-clad houses — a mix of mix of private and affordable — are expected to achieve an energy performance 100% above that required by current Building Regulations.

The development also has a biomass combined heat and power plant, along with gas boilers and a connection to the national grid.

HTA was selected by English Partnerships to build the development as part of its Carbon Challenge in 2007, after beating competition from Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Acanthus Ferguson Mann, Proctor & Matthews, PRP and Broadway Malyan.



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