Sinclair Meadows shortlisted for national housing award
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The UK’s first carbon negative social housing development in South Tyneside has been shortlisted for a national housing award.
Sinclair Meadows, a development by not-for-profit housing provider Four Housing Group, has beaten over 300 entries to be announced as one of the six projects shortlisted in the Development of the Year (Small Schemes) category at the UK Housing Awards 2013.
These pioneering South Shields homes, funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), were developed by Four Housing Group in partnership with South Tyneside Council and environmental charity Groundwork South Tyneside and Newcastle and Galliford Try.
The awards, organised by the Chartered Institute of Housing [CIH] and Inside Housing magazine, recognise outstanding work by housing organisations to improve the lives of people in their communities.
Paul Tanney, Chief Executive at Four Housing Group, said: “We’re really pleased to have been shortlisted in the UK Housing Awards. The vision for Sinclair Meadows from the outset was to create a social housing development that would encourage a truly sustainable community.
“The success of the scheme depended heavily on the commitment, lifestyle and training of those moving into the development; we needed to work with our already eco-conscious customers to help them further develop an environmentally friendly lifestyle.”
Prospective residents at Sinclair Meadows attend a detailed training programme to learn more about the daily tasks involved in a carbon negative lifestyle, such using the rainwater harvesting system to flush toilets, and programming appliances to operate during the day to make the most efficient use of energy from solar panels.
The design for Sinclair Meadows drew on Groundwork’s specialist knowledge of green construction methods to incorporate the latest environmental technologies and renewable energy systems. The homes are expected to wipe out the carbon footprint created by the construction process in less than three years, as the houses generate more electricity than they use from the largest array of solar panels on a domestic dwelling, feeding electricity back into the grid.
Councillor Jim Foreman, Lead Member for Housing and Transport at South Tyneside Council, said: “It’s great to see national recognition for Sinclair Meadows, which is breaking new ground in sustainable living and providing valuable learning for us as we plan future housing developments in the borough.
“It’s another example of South Tyneside’s emergence as a centre for renewable energy and green enterprise, following the success of nearby One Trinity Green, which was recently hailed as the world’s greenest new office building of the year.”
The scheme received £1.7million in funding from the Homes and Communities Agency and was constructed by Galliford Try.
Bill Carr, Area Manager at the HCA, said: “Sinclair Meadows is a fantastic achievement, showing that high quality design and energy efficiency can be achieved however small a scheme might be. This development was made possible by the vision of South Tyneside Council and Groundwork, and Four Housing Group and Galliford Try have created homes that are truly outstanding.”
The winners will be revealed at a ceremony at the Lancaster London Hotel on 16 April, hosted by Great British Bake Off presenter Sue Perkins.