The construction of a further 12 low-carbon council homes has been given the go-ahead in South Tyneside.
The development of two- and three-bedroomed apartments and houses at Lizard Lane, Marsden, was given the green light by the council’s planning committee.
The new homes are to be built on the former site of a four-storey block of flats and shops demolished in early 2022, as it was outdated and considered no longer fit for purpose.
Councillor Jim Foreman, South Tyneside Council’s lead member for housing and community safety, said: “These are going to be fantastic homes which are highly energy efficient, allowing residents to reduce energy consumption and benefit from cheaper bills.
“We’ve set ourselves some ambitious targets in our drive towards net zero and properties like these, fitted with low carbon technology, will boost our efforts to cut emissions.”
All the properties will have parking and a back garden. They will be A rated for energy consumption and will use energy efficiency measures including solar panels, Sunamp thermal store and battery storage. They will all have electric vehicle charging points.
Furthermore, the homes will be fitted with Wondrwall smart technology, which provides a low carbon alternative to traditional convection hearing. The system uses motion sensors to detect room occupancy and automatically heats the rooms in use.
The properties will also have intelligent ceiling mounted infrared heating panels which allow residents to schedule and heat individual zones.
Energy generated from the solar panels, as well as cheaper off-peak energy drawn from the grid, will be stored, further cutting consumption.
Foreman added: “This development will provide much-needed affordable homes in a very popular location. It will also be bringing previously-developed land back into use, in line with our brownfield first policy.
“We’re proactive about delivering good quality modern homes, in line with our ambition of creating strong communities where people live in safe, sustainable neighbourhoods.
“Housing is a lot more than just bricks and mortar, it can change people’s quality of life, which is why we’re proactive about developing the kind of good quality, affordable homes local people want.”
The homes will be built funded through the Housing Revenue Account, which is funded by rental income, and grant funding provided by Homes England, as part of the council’s five-year housing capital strategy.
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