Residents in Norwich have successfully lobbied the locally-based Common Ground Co-operative (CGC) to approve a small-scale eco village in the area.

Some 20 acres of land in Ilketshall St Andrew have now been allocated to the development, which is set to comprise some ten houses being built solely from locally-produced construction materials.

The project differs from traditional eco developments because of its focus on rural living, with residents being asked to rear goats and chickens and keep automobile use to a bare minimum.

But according to the CGC it will also take full advantage of tried-and-testing green technologies such as solar panels and heavy-duty insulation, making it a "flagship" scheme for other rural localities.

A CGC report read: "Common Ground believes that its project can deliver a 'win win' scenario through the combined use of low-impact, traditional building materials and best practice in modern technologies to produce carbon-neutral, low-cost, rural housing."

Planning officers from Waveney District Council are to visit the site in early February before construction of the hamlet can begin.


© Adfero Ltd

Author:  Joanne McCabe

Publish our Green issues articles on your own site!

All our Green issues articles are available for republishing, provided the links in the content remain intact. You can also use our RSS news feed to republish all of our Green issues articles.