Developer gets thumbs up for zero carbon buildings

A developer has been selected for a zero-carbon neighbourhood project in the centre of Peterborough.

The East of England Development Agency, English Partnerships, Peterborough City Council and Opportunity Peterborough selected the pPod consortium to carry out phase one of the South Bank project.

The mixed-use development will include 344 new homes, all of which comply with the highest standards of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Under the code, which came into force in May and rates buildings from one to six stars, buildings are assessed for sustainability, energy and water use.

A biomass combined heat and power plant will provide energy for the community.

Steve Carr, director of policy at English Partnerships, said: "The Peterborough pPod homes not only respond to climate change, they will also be more spacious and have lower energy bills.

"This isn’t just about eco-living – it is about making new housing schemes a much better deal for owners and tenants by creating comfortable and cost-efficient homes for a range of incomes."