Lead developer A2Dominion has started site preparation on North West Bicester, where there are plans for up to 6,000 homes to be built.
Willmott Dixon has a £27m contract to build the first 94 of the planned 393 true zero carbon homes that will make up the initial phase of the NW Bicester eco-town.
The first phase of the development, known as the Exemplar, will see the construction of 393 energy-efficient, zero-carbon homes. The developers claim that it will be ‘the UK’s first true zero-carbon community’.
First residents are expected to move into their new homes in spring 2015.
A2Dominion group chief commercial officer John Knevett said: “NW Bicester will be an example to future developments in establishing sustainable new communities in the UK. We will create an outstanding living environment, which will provide exceptional quality of life for residents, without compromising the needs of our future generations."
Other eco-claims being made for the development include:
- It is the only eco development in the UK that continues to adhere to the Planning Policy Statements (PPS1) set out by the government for the delivery of eco towns.
- All homes will be built to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5 incorporating triple glazing, rainwater harvesting and water recycling.
- There will be zero waste to landfill during construction, a feat so far managed only by the London 2012 Olympics construction.
- Electricity will be generated from PV solar panels on every home (averaging 34m2 per property), making this the UK’s largest residential solar array capable of generating enough power to supply 550 homes.
- Heat and hot water will come from a combined heat & power plant (CHP), which is one of the first elements of the scheme and set to be completed later this year. Excess electricity generated by the CHP will be exported back to the national grid.
- There will be cycle and pedestrian routes, a bus service within 400m of every home with live timetable updates in each house, charging points for electric vehicles and an electric car club.
Project director Steve Hornblow said: “NW Bicester is about enabling people to live modern-day lifestyles but with traditional values. We want the Exemplar to become a vibrant and resilient community where people know their neighbours. We’ve designed community space to incorporate communal barbecue areas, herb boxes and seating with features to encourage children to play safely in the street.
“We want to approach sustainable living realistically, providing people with the tools to benefit from a real community environment, reduced home running costs and access to the latest green technologies.”
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