Work on new energy efficient housing development complete

Work has been completed on the energy efficient housing development at Billingley View in Bolton upon Dearne after contractor William Birch & Sons handed the site over to Barnsley Council earlier this month.

Sixteen houses have been built on the site as part of a pilot scheme for the Barnsley Low Carbon Standard new build specification. All the properties will be owned by the council for social rent and be let and managed on the council's behalf by Berneslai Homes.

The project team has worked with Leeds Sustainability Institute, part of Leeds Beckett University, to design the properties to be highly energy efficient and fossil fuel free to reduce carbon emissions and meet the council's Zero 40/45 targets.

Each house will get its heating and hot water from an air-source heat pump. Solar panels will generate energy from the sun which can be stored in a battery and used when needed. Electric vehicle charging points have also been fitted to each house.

The success of the design specification will be monitored, and the cost savings for tenants will be tracked to make sure they're getting fair value for money on their energy bills.

Councillor Robin Franklin, Cabinet spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture, said: “It’s pleasing to see that the houses in Billingley View are complete and ready for our residents to make them into a home.

“It hasn’t been an easy task in a post-COVID landscape, so I’d like to thank our project team for their hard work, as well as William Birch & Sons, who took over when the previous contractor went into administration. Together, they have helped us to deliver the scheme to the aspirational specifications we outlined at the start of the project.

“We need to provide at least 900 additional homes a year at the government’s request. We want these properties to be affordable, sustainable and of good quality so our residents can live in a house which is right for them. We hope this scheme will show that it is possible to provide new housing which uses less energy and is more sustainable.

“We know there are high levels of demand for affordable housing, and these homes will help us meet our ambitions for a growing, healthy and sustainable Barnsley.”

Amanda Garrard, Chief Executive of Berneslai Homes, added: “We’re delighted to see the work on these new highly energy efficient and fossil fuel free homes has been completed.

“Growing Homes and Services is one of our six ambitions, and it’s great to see these new energy efficient homes built to provide excellent homes for the people on our waiting list.”

Simon Potter, Construction Director of William Birch & Sons Ltd, said: “Whilst this project was hit by some unfortunate challenges early on, we are proud to have been part of the latter phase of its journey in realising this great new energy efficient development, providing new affordable and sustainable homes. This is something that is needed more than ever in the current climate.”