At a meeting of the Planning Committee on Wednesday, 2nd February, Members voted to approve plans to build 6 energy efficient homes.
Working in partnership the Mid Devon District Council, the homes are set to be installed on a council-owned site in Cullompton (St. Andrews Estate).
The production and construction of these homes will take place off-site in the coming months, with the final installations and handover to the Council later this year. The modular nature of ZED PODS means the onsite installation time will be minimal and the houses are delivered complete, resulting in little disruption to neighbouring properties and allowing the new residents to move in immediately.
The development is set to be carbon-neutral, making this one of the first social housing projects of this type within the UK and continuing the Council’s ambition towards being carbon zero by 2030.
The site in Cullompton looks to provide 3 one-bed and 3 two-bed ZED PODS Zero Carbon homes, each with their own car parking spaces. The homes will be completed with triple glazing and solar panels, have their own private communal green space as well as separate storage for residents’ bins and bicycles. A mural on the building has also been set out in the plans, which will seek design ideas from the local community.
Councillor Bob Evans, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:
“I am delighted that we are moving one step nearer to bringing these innovative homes to fruition. The result of the consultation showcasing a furnished demonstration home was an overwhelming success with many positive comments from Mid Devon residents expressing their interest. Hopefully, this is the start of a journey in bringing forward many of these affordable, sustainable homes to the district.”
Tom Northway, Chairman of ZED PODS, said:
“We are delighted that the scheme has received the planning approval. Our in-house architectural team has worked very closely with the council to reach this stage. These high quality, zero-carbon homes have superior environmental performance and internal specifications, providing beautiful homes for the people who need them the most.
“Low carbon and sustainable housing are at the heart of our schemes, with super insulation, airtightness, low energy heating systems and renewable energy technologies, which complement the “fabric-first” energy performance. We will build these units offsite and employ local tradespeople for onsite work, helping both the local economy and local community.”
Once works have been completed the properties will be made available for people with a local connection to Mid Devon to bid on Devon Home Choice.