City of York Council has submitted proposals for sustainable development of the former British Sugar site, currently owned by Associated British Foods. The bid for £60 million of government funding would secure the use of part of the site of the former factory to build 60 eco homes, and would put York on the map as home of one of the most environmentally friendly developments to be built in the next two to three years.
If the proposal is accepted, the complex of eco homes would showcase a number of environmentally friendly features and technologies designed to minimise their carbon footprints and limit the amount of carbon emissions they produce. As well as being built to incorporate high energy and water efficiency standards, the homes would be built from locally sourced and recycled materials, therefore cutting down on transportation costs for building materials and also supporting the local economy, as well as reducing the demand for virgin materials and cutting the amount going to landfill.
Residents would be able to take advantage of a range of eco facilities available at the site to help them live a greener lower carbon lifestyle. These include on site recycling facilities for household waste and allotments to enable residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables.
But it’s not only looking at ways of individuals working to reduce the environmental impact of their lifestyles that the development will focus on. The site will include communitywide schemes aimed at reducing the emissions from transport for those living in the eco development. A car club to encourage car sharing and reduce single occupancy car trips and cycle hire facilities. Further initiatives to encourage low carbon travel built into the homes themselves are a new spin on the garage; allocated space for cycle storage, and an innovative information panel that provides the occupant with bus timetable information which links into the council’s systems so you can see how far away the next bus is.
Of course the incorporation of new technologies will have a price tag, and the building of this eco development will depend on securing funding from the government, but the £17,250 cost to add the sustainability features to each property could be money well spent if it results in a flagship development for reducing the overall carbon footprint of the construction industry.