New South Tyneside council homes offer tenants no gas bills and advanced eco-features
A £2 million development of eco-friendly council homes in South Tyneside has welcomed its first tenants. The new residents have received the keys to their ultra energy-efficient properties at Hindmarch Drive, Boldon.
Approved by South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee in 2022, the development consists of 10 affordable rent homes, including two-bedroom houses, flats and bungalows. All the properties are A-rated for carbon savings and feature energy efficiency measures such as air source heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage, along with electric vehicle charging points.
Lilian Hamilton, 80, who moved into one of the bungalows, expressed her delight: "It’s even nicer than I thought. I was living in a three-bedroomed house before, but I needed a bungalow for health reasons. It’s near to my daughter and has a nice garden. I’m looking forward to getting my furniture in and being settled, and to getting to know my neighbours."
READ MORE:Step forward for £30 million sheltered accommodation scheme in Morpeth as contractors appointed
The apartments and houses are equipped with Wondrwall Smart technology, offering a low carbon alternative to traditional convection heating. Tenants will receive training on how to use this technology to maximise the carbon reduction benefits of the properties.
Amy Teasdale, her partner Christopher Lennon and their two children will be moving into one of the two-bedroom apartments. The 27 year old said: "We’ve had training and a lot of information about how to use the technology, everyone has been really helpful,".
The heating is powered by electricity and solar energy, so there's no gas bill to worry about. The system utilises motion sensors to detect when rooms are occupied and automatically heats those in use.
The properties also feature intelligent ceiling-mounted infra-red heating panels that 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, is stored, further reducing consumption.
Amy said: "I wanted somewhere safe for the kids to grow up, with nice neighbours. It’s smart and modern and really spacious. We love the open plan kitchen which will be great for family time. We’ve got a small outdoor space which we’ve not had before so the kids are really excited. I really wanted a council home as we’ve rented privately before and found it hard to keep on top of any repairs or anything, and I find the council is quick and responsive."
Councillor Tracey Dixon, leader of South Tyneside Council, stated: "We’re proactive about providing high-quality, future-proofed homes, in line with our ambition of creating strong communities where people live in safe, sustainable neighbourhoods. These homes 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."
Homes England contributed £575,000 to the £2.024 million development.